Loss and Loneliness
by WyldeGod
Summary: Logan left Max a note and a promise to return to her one day. She trusted him but he didn't call when he was supposed to. New chapters added.
1. Default Chapter

Here's a season two alternate timeline piece.  Max and Logan have gone their separate ways but the loss and loneliness gets to her and she finds herself knocking on his door only to discover that he has been missing for over a year.

I hope to get some reviews and I thank Beth, Angel and DarkieX for reviewing Fallen Hero.  I would also like to say to one person in particular that I don't care if you hate Logan.  I write what I want to write and no threats will change that.

As always, I hope many of you will read and review.  I will accept any reviews but I will not acknowledge any personal attacks on my chosen pairings.  I write Max and Logan stories and nothing will change that.

Enjoy…

Loss and Loneliness

          "What is it, Boo?"  Original Cindy asked her favorite girl in the whole world.  "What's wrong witchu today?"

          Max sat staring out the window.  Her eyes burning with the tears she was forcing away.  Her soul in turmoil over the decision she had no choice in making.  Her mind inches away from snapping into something terribly wrong for the woman she had become because of a man.  'The only man.' She thought.  He was the only man for her as far as she was concerned.  She stared ahead.  She ignored OC and she hated herself for it, but she knew that if she opened her mouth and uttered so much as one word, the gates would open and she would lose it again.

          The decision had been hers and she was left with no choice.  She had been lucky that Joshua was there.  She had been careless and only Joshua was capable of saving him.  Only Joshua...

          "Not me..." She muttered.

          "Not you what" OC asked.

          "Nothing.  Leave me alone."  She said.  Then realized, adding.  "Please?  I can't."  She left it at that wishing it was the bullet with her name on it.

          "You did the right thing.  It was the only way to protect him."  OC said.  Her words were not meant to hurt.  They were not meant to bring more pain but they had that effect anyway.  Max tried to control it.  She stood up and headed for the bedroom.  "Max!"

          "WHAT!?!"  Max yelled.  Her rage was unbalanced and she could see the fear in Cindy's eyes.  She knew she would never hurt Cindy, not intentionally, but she had never seen this fear before.  "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?  What should I do?  They won Cindy!  Manticore won.  They took him away from me just like they said they would.  They made it so that we couldn't be.  They ruined the most perfect thing I have ever known.  All I have left now is Manticore and I pressed the button.  Now, not even they are left.  They got what they wanted.  That bitch told me they would get this eventually and I have nothing left now."

          "You have me.  You're my best friend."

          "I'm sorry."  Max said.  She turned and left.  "Without him, nothing matters."  Cindy could hear the words faintly from the hall.  For the first time since she and Max had met, Original Cindy cried.  She knew Max didn't mean it.  Not the way she said it.  She knew...

          Max wandered through the streets looking for anything that would hold her interest.  There was a chicken for sale in the market and she smiled at the thought of Logan forgetting to turn on the oven.  It could have been perfect but of course Zach was in trouble and she had to help Zach, right.  She turned the corner and an old beat up Aztec drove by making a strange noise.  Max knew it was a transmission problem.  She looked closely at the driver already knowing it wasn't Logan.  It was a woman and two small children.  Not Logan.

          Another block and she stood peering down the alley where she met Phil.  She smiled.  Pierpont Lempkin and the Taliban and the microchip and... And... The thought hit her like a brick smashing over her head.  Rafer.  Rage hit her again and then the tears and she turned into the alley so that no one could see her cry again.  There was the back door to Crash in the distance and the people standing there seemed happy.  Sketchy was talking to a little honey he had no chance with but he was drunk and Max knew he didn't care.  Max turned away again, her thoughts turning to The High Place.

          'My god.'  She thought.  'When was the last time I went up there?  When was the last time I needed, wanted to go up there?'  She found herself heading in the direction of the needle.  The high-rise district was close.  She would see Fogle Towers.  Would his apartment be lit up?  No.  It was never lit up.  It was always so warm and inviting and the lights were quiet and convincing of the warmth that existed inside.  It had been perfect until she had been turned into the vehicle of his destruction.  Another reminder and another tear and she hated herself.  'What have I done?'  She thought as she approached the needle.

          Sitting on top peering into the dark night, Max shut her mind off.  It was the only way to not think about him.  She wanted to tell OC she was sorry, but she didn't believe she deserved forgiveness.  There had been no reason to snap like that, but the soldier inside had broken.  Without him, nothing really mattered.

          She should have told OC why this day was hitting her so hard.  She should have told her what this day was.  Three years now to the day since Max broke into Fogle Towers.  Three years ago today, Max met the man of her dreams.  The perfect man.  A beautiful talented man.  A great man with goals far bigger than himself and he held the will to see those goals to their ends no matter the cost.

          "Third times the charm you rat-bastard-sons-of-bitches."  She shouted over the city.  "Three times I almost did your bidding."  She said loud over the city.  "Three times, you almost won... but you didn't and all it cost me was everything."  She whispered more to herself than to anyone, realizing for the first time that she had lost, just lost when she walked away from Logan.

          'I didn't have a choice, right?  It was the only way, right?'  She asked not really caring that she was staring into the sky.  "I had to leave, right?"  She asked the blue lady.  "You were all we had.  You protected us.  I know that now.  You gave us the power to make the decision.  You watched over us just like Ben said you would and I killed him.  Logan watched over me.  Tried to protect me and I almost killed him, too."  She said.  The tears came again.  The rain came as well.  Hard and biting and cold and for the first time that she could remember, Max shivered.  "I did the right thing, right?"  She asked anyone who would listen and as the lightning sparked and danced across the vile night sky, thunder shattered her prayer and she broke.  She quit.  She gave up and let the tears flow.

          She didn't know when it happened.  She wasn't sure how she got there really.  She didn't have any gear but when the elevator doors opened and she found herself standing outside of Logan's door, she was not surprised that she should find herself here on this night.  It was an anniversary of sorts and he remembered the last one.  It would be fitting that she should remember this one.  Would he be happy to see her?  Would he be mad, angry or nonchalant?  Would he be home and who would he be with?  A beautiful woman, perhaps?  The dinner laid exquisitely on a fine table.  The music perfect.  Candles and calm scents?  She cursed herself when she realized her hand was knocking on the door.  She turned to run, but nothing happened.

          She waited.

          She knocked again.

          She waited some more.

          She knocked again.  This time the knock was louder.  This time there was no way it could not be heard.  'Sleeping?'  She thought turning to leave.  'I shouldn't bother him.'  Then she watched, actually watched her own hand as it dug the small metal tools from the hidden flap behind the heavy pocket and she realized just how powerless she was to stop the lock from being picked.

          The door opened silently and Max stepped into the dusty, musty smelling apartment.  There was no power and from what she could see the place hadn't been lived in for quite some time.  She moved throughout and found nothing that would lead her to believe that someone actually lived here.  She headed out toward the kitchen.  The fridge was empty and the stove had no gas or electric.  The apartment was deserted.  Her mind raced over the last year.  She hadn't heard one single Eyes Only broadcast since the Dougie and Mia incident when Mia told her everything would be all right.  She ran over her absolutely perfect memory.  There had been no Eyes Only broadcasts in the last thirteen months.

          Her feet found their way into the bedroom.  It was cluttered with old clothes abandoned and left behind.  There in the corner was her favorite turtleneck.  The one she wore when her own clothes were being washed.  She loved that shirt.  It had smelled so... Well, Logan.  Now it was crumpled and covered with dust in a dark corner left apparently with all the other unwanted things Logan had left here.

          The apartment was taking on a frantic feeling as Max rushed into the office and looked at the computer equipment.  It was all still there.  It was untouched except for the main unit.  The hard drives were missing.  She searched the equipment and looked for anything that would tell her The Informant Net was safe but her hopes for that even were dashed, as she could find no evidence that Logan had taken the drives.  Eyes Only was no more.  It was as if she had killed him anyway.

          It didn't matter that she didn't pull the trigger that blew out his spine.  It didn't matter that her very existence was a hindrance and a danger to his very being.  It didn't matter that she put his life in jeopardy every time he saved her from the bad guys.  It didn't matter that it had worked both ways.  The only thought she could find was one of blame.  This here.  This apartment and Logan's disappearance, the end of Eyes Only and The Informant Net.  This was her fault.  This was her doing.

          "I did destroy you, Logan."  Max said out loud.  "I did it this time.  I really did it this time."  

          There were no more tears.  There was only the misery she had kept locked inside of herself all those years after the escape.  There was only the darkness surrounding her.  Her moves didn't matter anymore.  Nothing mattered anymore.  She had failed the only person that ever believed in her.  She had done it.  She had spoken the words and she had made the choice and she walked away from him and only now did she understand the consequence of those decisions.  It had all been her fault.  She knew this and had no choice.  She had to accept it.

          "I'm sorry."  She muttered as if someone could hear, as if someone cared.  "I'm sorry."  She whispered.

          When the book fell from the shelf, she looked over to the floor.  It was his journal.  The book he protected and had hidden.  It was his secret guarded side.  It was HIM.

          She picked it up.  Her body was functioning on its own.  Her hands pulled the sheet of paper from the front sleeve and opened it.  Her eyes poured over every word and her brain logged those words, burned them into her memory for all time.  Logan spoke them out loud as her eyes read them.  Her mind raced at the information contained in those few words.  Her body shook with emotion she had not felt in a year.  Her heart raced.  Her mind followed.

                   Max

                             Above all else, know that I Love you.  

                   I will fix this.  I will find a way, no matter

                   the cost.  I will not lose you.  I don't

                   care what 'they' think or know or want.  I

                   will find a way and I will not stop until I do. 

                   I will not fail you. 

                                                Always Yours, My Angel

                                                          Logan

          She felt the tears again.  She thought they had run out.  She thought there were no more.  She had been right.  There were no more sorrow filled tears to shed.

          Just as quickly as the happiness had come the happiness left again.  The paper was yellowing and the pages in the book were crispy.  'I ran away.  I left you.'  She felt the thoughts moving through her.  'I failed you and you still love me.  I truly am not worthy.'  And still another time that night, Max found her body moving on instinct when she realized she was running through sector 9 heading back to her place in sector five.  She made the trip by foot in record time only to find Cindy and Sketchy sitting in the living room talking.

          "Max?"  OC called as she burst into the room and headed for her bedroom.  "Max, what the hell?"

          "It's Logan!"  She shouted.  "He Loves me.  He left me a note."  She said not making any sense to the three in the room.  "I'm moving out, going to live in the penthouse.  You can have this place.  I have to get my stuff.  I'll be back tomorrow for the rest of it."  Max said rushing around her place trying to get a handle on some things and pack a few bags to take over with her.

          "You're moving in with Logan?"  OC asked.

          "He doesn't live there."

          "What do you mean?"  Sketchy asked.

          "He moved out or he's gone or maybe he's dead.  NO.  He's not dead.  I would know.  I don't know, but he left me a note a long time ago expecting me to show up, but I didn't until tonight.  Tonight's our anniversary and he still loves me even after what I did."

          "You're babbling.  You know this right?"  OC said to her best friend.  "I want you to stop and breathe and then tell me what is going on."

          Max stopped and looked at Original Cindy.  She took a deep breath and handed the note to Cindy.  OC read it and handed it to Sketchy.  "If he wrote that over a year ago..."  OC started, but Max cut her off.

          "I was depressed because this is the night I broke into Logan's place to steal Bast."

          "Bast?"  Sketchy asked.

          "Bast.  The Egyptian Goddess that comprehends all Goddesses.  Eye of Ra, protector, avenger, destroyer.  I tried to steal it from Logan one night.  It's how we met.  I had never met a man like Logan before and it happened tonight three years ago.  It's our anniversary.  I found myself standing outside his door so I thought I would see him, you know and see if maybe, just maybe..."  Max stopped not wanting to bring up everything about Manticore in front of Sketchy but he was more interested in how Max and Logan met.

          "You mean you were a thief and you tried to rob Logan and instead you two started dating?"  OC asked.

          "Something like that."

          OC said.  "Get to the note.  He's not there?"

          "No."  Max said.

          "Where is he?"

          "I don't know.  I'm going to find out though.  I have to."  Max said.

          "How?"

          "All his stuff is still there.  He still owns the place.  He will come back.  What if he needs my help.  What if he's in trouble?  What if he was captured like Lydecker?  What if White got to him?  What if he found a cure but can't get to me?"  Max said.

          "What if it's a trap and the bad guys have him?  What if they are waiting for you?  What if White killed him and is watching?  What if, is a huge question, Max."  OC said.

          "I'm getting the feeling that something much deeper is going on here than either of you two are letting me in on.  I am confused at times and not so smart, but I can figure out a thing or two."  Sketchy said.

          "What are you trying to say?"  Max asked.

          "Spit it out, fool."  OC said.

          "How can I help?"  Sketchy asked.

          Max was back at Logan's within the hour.  She had brought candles from her place and broken into Logan's stash in his hall closet.  She started making mental notes about things that had to be done.  Some things had to be taken care of almost immediately like power for light and cooking and the basic necessities which she had the money for.  The computers were almost entirely intact and she could get what she needed from the street so that wouldn't be a problem but the main situation she had to deal with was the living arrangements she had just helped herself to.  She didn't for a second believe that Logan would care that she had moved in, but there were neighbors that had been used to Logan even if he was a little reclusive.  What would they think if she was suddenly living here?  Would they even notice?  Would they care?

          Max worked around the place cleaning and straightening until mid morning.  She had been ignoring her pager all morning knowing it was Normal looking for her.  Around ten she was sitting quietly on a better smelling couch staring at the fifteen garbage bags of dusty towels and other assorted junk she had found scattered around.  All of Logan's clothes were neatly hung in the huge closet and there was more than enough room for her stuff when she finally got it moved to the new place.  The kitchen was clean and the shelves were neatly arranged.  It had taken all night but she was sure that Logan wouldn't complain.

          She finally picked up the phone and called into work.

          "Normal.  This is Max.  I may come back to work, but I am not sure yet.  Don't get your hopes up.  I'll call you if I need you."  Max said to him before hanging up.  She didn't wait for a response.  She then headed out the door to have power reconnected and to do a little digging.  She needed to start working on finding the information she needed.  She needed to find Logan and apologize for her mistakes.

          "And they were my mistakes, all along."  Max said looking at the picture of Logan she had taken from his place once.  The one she kept on her dresser in her bedroom right beside the statue of Bast he had repurchased for her.  "I won't let you down either."  She said.  "I will find you.  You gave me a chance and you protected me.  You did everything for me and I failed you.  I will never do that again."  She said.  She walked over to the table in the hall where Logan had originally kept Bast and placed it back on the now clean podium where it belonged.

          Six days passed.  Max had spent most of her time working computer searches or gathering her stuff with Sketchy's help.  When the knock sounded on the door late that first Monday in her new apartment, Max opened it figuring it was Sketchy with the last of her stuff.  It wasn't.

          "Good afternoon, Miss.  I would like to talk to you about your new apartment if I may?"  The man said.  He was wearing a good suit standing tall in the door.     

          "Who are you?"  She asked.

          "I represent parties with interest in this apartment.  I have been coming by here for the last ten months.  I have answers to some of your questions and some packages that you will be interested in.  I will not take much of your time and I hope you can bear with me because I have never quite dealt with this type of a situation before.  I am unsure of how to proceed."  The man said with a nod of his head trying to let Max know he wanted to come in.

          Max could tell she had numerous advantages over this man so she stepped aside reluctantly letting him into the main hall.  She gestured toward the kitchen and offered him a drink.  He asked for water.  She handed him a glass and watched with marginal patience as he pulled three packages out of his briefcase before looking to her with a smile.

          "This first package is for your eyes only and was left with the strictest of rules as to its handling.  I was here last Monday and noticed that you had finally moved in so I took the liberty of having this pulled out of the safe location it had been stored in."  He set the package in front of her with a dull thud.  It was obviously heavier than the others.

          "This second package is the information a certain gentleman of your acquaintance has left for you in case a situation such as has occurred came to pass.  I believe this package lists all bank accounts and billing information for the upkeep of the apartment and for your own personal use."  He said.

          "Who is this gentleman?"  Max asked.

          "I was told you would have this information.  I was told you would be the only one here.  You are Max Guevara.  I have a picture here for identification purposes only.  You are the woman in the picture."  He said holding a picture of Max in her Rafael Banks gown from Bennett and Marianne's Wedding.  Max smiled.  He returned the picture to her.

          "What gentleman gave you this stuff?"

          "I do not know his name.  I was told by him that you were to have these three packages delivered upon your arrival.  I am merely fulfilling the contract I was hired to complete and when I leave today, it is my understanding that you will have control of this apartment and the entity or entities it represents.  This is all yours now."

          "How do I get in touch with this gentleman?"  Max asked almost demanding.      

          "I do not know.  I only met with him once."

          "Describe him."  Max said.

          "It was over a year ago.  I am afraid my memory isn't that good.  He had glasses and a good build.  He was very scholarly with a commanding presence, quite in control of everything around him.  I do not remember much else."  He said.

          "Thanks."  Max said sounding disappointed as if hoping Logan would walk through the door at any moment.  "Please continue."  She said.

          "This last package is a key to a safety deposit box in San Francisco.  It has been locked in this small box inside of the small box.  I am told you have the key to this box so you may retrieve the key.  The information for the actual location of the safety deposit box is contained inside with the key."  The man explained.  "It is quite a mystery isn't it?"  His curiosity was apparent.

          "Do you know where I can find this man?  Do you know anyone who can help me find the man that gave you this stuff?"  Max asked.

          "I do not."  He said.  "My job is done.  I must leave now.  I wish I could tell you his whereabouts, but I got the distinct feeling that he was in hiding for some reason.  It is my belief that he was being hunted by the government.  I have no proof of this, but I have an intuition about these things.  I hope there is a happy ending in all of this."  He said and with a nod of his head, the man turned and left.

          "I hope so, too."  Max muttered after him.  She followed him to the door and closed it, locking it before turning back to the kitchen.

          Max cracked the first package she had been given and pulled two hard discs and a note out of it.  The note had instructions for installation on one side and codes on the other.  There was nothing else in the package.  She set the drives aside and opened the second package.  Inside were several credit cards and account cards from numerous banks.  They all contained her name.  A stapled series of papers listed the type and balance of each account.  The five different credit cards all had unlimited credit from overseas banks where the money seemed to exist in abundance.  Logan had regained some of his former wealth and now left it to Max.  She read each and every piece of paper looking for some clues about his location but there was none.  After an hour of reading, she set everything aside and opened the small box that contained the key.

          She found a smaller box with a very intricate lock inside of it.  It took a few seconds to open it and when she did, she found the note and the key to Logan's safety deposit box.  Picking up the hard drives, Max headed into the office to install them and fire up the computers to start her search for Logan.

          Twenty minutes later, she was watching a video recorded by Logan.

          "Hello Max."  He said.  His voice was strained and empty.  "I know since you are watching this that I am gone and you are living in the penthouse.  I always wanted you to live there, but I had always foreseen us living there together."  He paused for a second and held up the picture of Max he kept on his desk.  Looking at it, Max could see how much he cared for her.  She reached out to touch his face on the screen.  "I don't know why you chose the reasons you did, but I have to admit it gave me the opportunity to accomplish some things I might not otherwise have accomplished.  I leave for Japan in the morning.  On my shelves is my journal.  In it I have left you the poetry you asked to read.  I hope it reminds you of better times."  He paused.  He looked toward the shelf as if waiting for Max to get the diary.

          "Anyway, in Japan, I will have a surgery and some injections of nanocytes to help reconstruct my spinal cord and should be walking in a few weeks without the aid of the exo-skeleton.  I will have to undergo some extensive rehab on my legs, but I don't know where they are going to send me for that so I will probably be gone for a year or more at this point.  I have all the information on your virus.  I hacked it from the CDC and removed your records but they did have hard copy of the files.  If I can manage it, I will get that as well although I do not know how I will accomplish this just yet.  Surgery first and Virus second.  You have been wiped from the CDC records so hopefully, they will forget about the hard copy.

          "I want you to know one thing.  I know we parted ways in a fashion that should not have happened.  I hold nothing against you for what you said or what you did.  I am as much at fault in this matter as you are.  Probably more so since I waged the war against Manticore in the first place when I thought you had died.  I really pissed them off on that one, eh?  What I am trying to say is that I fully intend to return home one day.  I hope you are there when I arrive."  Logan leaned in close to the camera, closer to Max.  "I Love you.  I have always I will always Love you.  Don't ever forget that.  Know it to be the only truth that keeps me alive and fighting for the day I can return to you and hold you in my arms.  I know this day is coming.  I Love you, Max."

          She was tearing up again, but a knock on the door stopped her.  For a split second, she had the strange thought that it was Logan and his impeccable timing, but she could hear Sketchy and OC on the other side of the door.

          "Hey."  She said.

          "You look like you were expecting someone else."  OC said.

          "Logan.  Silly, huh?"  Max said.

          "No, Boo.  It's always good to have hope.  To believe in something."

          "Is this all?"  Max asked.

          "This is the last of it and I took the opportunity to order pizza.  I figured you could fill us in on some of the details of your search for Logan.  I have been telling some of the people I have met through the paper that I have some knowledge of a missing person of some import and that I would like them to keep their eyes and ears peeled."  Sketchy said.

          "Logan isn't that easy to track down, but thanks."  Max said.  "I know Logan would have covered his tracks perfectly and it will take some time to track down a clue let alone Logan himself."

          "You talk like he's Eyes Only or something.  The people I work with are some of the best in the business.  If anyone can uncover information they will."  Sketchy said walking toward the bedroom to throw the two large bags of clothes on Max's bed.  OC and Max just looked at each other.  Sketchy was oblivious.  Max spoke first.

          "He left a video message for me.  He went to Japan to undergo a reconstructive surgery on his spinal cord.  He also told me he removed my files from the CDC."  She said.  "They had hard copy but he couldn't get to it."

          "How does he think he can get hard copy from the CDC?"

          "I don't know.  I was his legs for over a year."

          "Do you really think he would have asked you to go into CDC headquarters and try to find your information?"  Original Cindy asked.  "Why would Logan go to Japan for surgery on his spine and not tell you?"

          "No.  He had diagrams of the main offices and underground floors and I know he hacks security systems on a whim just to look around.  I think he was planning the assault himself."  Max said.  "As for Japan, I can only assume he had intended to surprise me when it was over.  I have to assume something went wrong.  It's been over a year since we…"  She dropped the thought like a brick but OC understood.

          "He was going to break in himself?"  OC said, whistling her disbelief.  She changed the subject.

          "No.  I think he was going to forge passes posing as a doctor and hack his way through security into records.  He had a live link to the camera on that hall..."

          "What camera?"  Sketchy asked.

          "Logan's camera."  Max said.

          "He took his camera with him."  OC said helping Max cover.

          "That is strange why?"  Sketchy asked.

          "It's not really strange; I was just hoping that Logan had left it behind so that I might see what he had been taking pictures of.  Clues, you know."

          "Right.  We'll find him Max.  I promise.  Anyway, your clothes are spread out on the bed.  Sorry about looking at your things, but I need my duffel bags back."  Sketchy explained as he dropped the bags by the front door.  He jumped when someone knocked, but it was just the pizza.

          After some pizza and some soda, OC and Sketchy left heading out for the evening.  Max went back to the computers and started doing some research on Logan's files trying to make sense of the strange filing system he used.

          Three days passed before Max found even one item resembling a clue.  She had been perusing some files of a medical nature when she came across a folder labeled "Tanaka" and having knowledge of the name she opened it to explore the contents.  Inside was a list of Doctor's that had worked with or for Dr. Tanaka with his gene re-sequencing techniques.  Most of these people had little keynotes registering them as missing or unavailable except for one.  A doctor in Japan named Aiko Kitigari.  There was a contact number so Max hacked a signal and placed the call.

          "Konnichiwa."  It was a woman's voice.

          "Hello.  I'm calling from the United States.  Do you speak English?"  Max asked.

          "I do.  Can I help you?"  Asked the woman.

          "I am trying to reach Dr. Aiko Kitigari."

          "It is Kotogiri."  The woman corrected her.  "She is in conference now.  May I take Message?"

          "I am looking for a missing person.  His name is Logan Cale and it is urgent that I speak with the doctor.  She may have been the last person to have contact with him."  Max explained.  It was a chance, but she had no choice.  The woman on the other end muffled the mouthpiece and spoke in her native tongue to someone standing there.  There was an argument and some slight yelling and then another woman spoke to Max.

          "This is Doctor Kotogiri.  I understand you are looking for a patient of mine?"

          "Yes.  He is missing and the only lead we have is you.  If there is any information you could give me... I know he came to you for surgery and I know that such information is confidential, but I really just need to know two things."

          "What two things?"  The Doctor asked.

          "Was the surgery a success and do you know where he went after the surgery?"

          "Who is this?"

          "I'm a..."  She hesitated.  Max wanted to say they were engaged or married or at least that she was his girlfriend, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.  "I'm a friend.  I am trying to find him."

          "Is this Max?"  The Doctor asked.  Max was silent.  After a few seconds the Doctor spoke again.  "I'll assume your silence is an affirmation.  He spoke of you often.  He told me I could expect to hear from you but I expected this call much sooner."

          "So you've seen him recently?"  Max asked.

          "I cannot tell you what you want to know.  I had begun treatments with nanocytes to rebuild his spinal cord and to help control the stem cells his body was producing but incapable of using.  We worked for three weeks to control that situation, but before I could complete the therapy and begin the surgery, some soldiers came and took him away.  I have spent the last year rebuilding my offices and trying to regain customers.  I am sorry."  The Doctor said.

          "What soldiers?"

          "I don't know.  Some American and some French troops I think.  I am not sure.  His treatments were progressing quite well, but he didn't get to finish them.  This could be good or bad depending on what they did to him after they took him.  I am sorry, but I can say no more."  The doctor hung up the phone.

          "Thank you, Doc."  Max said, but the line was already buzzing.

          Max made some notes in the file and closed the windows.  She searched Logan's files for any instances of French and American troops but could find nothing.  'Why would French troops be looking for you?'  She asked the picture of Logan she kept in front of his picture of her.  'Why would American and French troops be looking for you together?'

          Max woke after a short sleep and decided to head into work to see OC and the gang.  She had some shopping to do and wanted to talk to OC.

          "Any news?"  OC asked as Max headed into Jam Pony headquarters.

          "And you are here, why?"  Normal barked at her as she walked past him to talk with her friend.

          "Leave us alone, Normal."  OC snapped back and Normal wandered off.  Max waited for him to leave.

          "Logan was in Japan for treatment with nanocytes..."

          "Nanny-whats?"  OC asked.

          "Nano-cytes."  Max explained.  "Microscopic machines programmed to do whatever is needed to repair the body.  Logan was receiving treatments but some soldiers got the hospital in Japan where he was and took him away."

          "Soldiers?"  OC asked.  "You mean your whole year has been relatively quiet because the black choppers have been after Logan?"

          "It seems so.  The weird thing is that Logan was taken by French and American troops.  I can find no knowledge of French troops or even a French connection to Manticore in Logan's database."

          "What are you going to do?"  OC asked.

          "I'm going shopping.  I was hoping we could meet for lunch."  Max said.  She offered to pay for it.

          "Count me in."  OC said.  She and Max hugged and Max headed out.  Normal was watching closely.  As soon as she was out the door, he was on the phone to someone.  She stopped just outside the door to talk with Sketchy for a minute or two before going about her day.  Her hearing picked up on Normal's conversation.

          "Yes.  She was just here... Something about getting lunch with one of my other messengers... I don't know where... She just left... Been gone about five minutes now... Follow the black girl leaving soon, she's meeting Max for lunch... Just trying to be a good citizen..."  Normal's conversation ended and Max smiled at Sketchy as she walked away in mid sentence.

          'So Normal's turned me in to someone or someone is using Normal to keep tabs on me.  I'm going to have to keep an eye on him and find out who it is.'  Max thought as she walked downtown toward the market.  She would turn the tables and follow OC to see who was trailing the Nubian.

          Max headed around the block to the rear of the small warehouse and climbed to the rooftop.  She was squatting in the shade of a small rooftop access when two hover-drones moved into view and headed off in a crisscross pattern following OC on her morning deliveries.  Max jumped to another roof to see which way OC headed.

          She approached the edge of the building in time to see a black van pull to a screeching halt in front of OC.  Two men jumped out and fired on the hover drones while a third slightly smaller but still muscular man grabbed OC and her bike and pulled her in the van.  They were all wearing masks.  Max panicked but was not close enough to make any difference in the abduction so she logged the license plate and hurried back to the penthouse to run a trace.  She already knew there would be no information on the van and that it would probably come up as stolen.

          An hour later, her fears had been justified and she was lost as to where to start looking for OC.  The van had been stolen, but the registration was from LA and not from anywhere around Seattle.  Max started slipping into the darkness that so often crept up on her when she didn't have a clue about how to proceed.  'What would Logan do?'  She asked herself.  'He would try to analyze the situation.  Think of scenarios, but scenarios for what?'  She cursed herself for having left Logan in the first place.  She picked up his picture and stared at it.

          "I should never have left you.  I should have believed we could find a way out of this.  I should have..."  Her revelations were cut off by a ringing phone.  She let the answering machine pick it up.

          "Max, it's Sketchy."  Said the voice so Max answered.

          "Sketchy..."

          "Max.  I know where they took OC.  She called and told me the guys that took her want to meet with you.  You are to meet them at fifth and Carlson in twenty minutes.  There is a payphone.  You will be contacted by phone with further instructions."  Sketchy said, hanging up the phone before Max could ask any questions.  Max was out the door and off on her baby in less than two minutes.


	2. Loss part Two

          The phone was ringing when she arrived and she had to body block some kid out of the way to get to the phone.  "I'm here.  If you hurt her, I will kill you."

          "Your loyalty to your friends is admirable, Max."  Spoke a voice Max had burned into her memory many years ago.

          "Lydecker?"  Max said.

          "Yes.  I'm alive and so is your friend.  She was being stalked, so I took her from the street.  She wants to talk to you."  He said handing over the phone.

          "Max."  It was OC.

          "Are you ok?"  Max asked.

          "Yeah, sugga.  I'm fine.  They didn't hurt me.  I didn't know someone was tailing me to get to you though.  Look, we're at the safe house where you planned the attack on the lab.  Logan's been here although no one knows where he is now.  He's missing and the Colonel's been trying to find him.  You were right.  He is in danger and apparently he did it all to protect you and the rest of the family.  We'll see you when you get here."  OC said then hung up the phone.

          Max was pulling into the old safe-house half an hour later.

          There were fifteen members of the old Manticore Spec-ops soldiers milling around when Max rode her bike through the door that had been opened for her benefit.  OC was sitting and talking with Lydecker.  Both watched Max pull her bike up in front of the platform.

          "Colonel."  Max said with wary tones.

          "I am impressed with the way you handled the Familiar situation.  We had been training you kids to deal with that situation, but had no idea that you and Logan could or would cause so many problems for them by yourselves."  Deck said.

          "It was easy.  I had great help.  Where's Logan?"

          "I wish I knew.  He was taken by my troops from his Location in Japan, and brought to my headquarters in Canada.  We patched him up and did some work, helped him get the rehab he needed to walk and function again with a renewed spinal cord.  Everything seemed to be going fine and he and I were planning on his returning to Seattle to find you, but something happened.  He found out about something and before any of us could control the situation, he was gone.  We've been looking for him ever since."

          "They know he is here in Seattle."  OC said.  "They just don't know where or why."

          "What did you do to him?"  Max demanded.  She grabbed Lydecker by the collar and lifted him off the ground.  "Where is he?"  She yelled as three guards moved in on her.  She threw Lydecker down and dispatched the guards in only a few seconds.  Four more approached and they were as easily subdued by Max.

          Guns had been drawn and were leveled on Max.  "ENOUGH!"  Deck shouted.  Everyone stopped moving.

          "You say one word about emotions and so help me I will kill you and every one of your men present."  Max said stepping toward Deck.  He held his hands up in surrender.

          "I don't know where he is.  We figured out why he left though.  I would have gotten to that information soon enough..."

          "Where is he and why did he run away from you?"  Max demanded stepping right up in Deck's face although there were fifteen weapons aimed at various parts of her body.

          "He is in Seattle.  He has come to stop the assassin sent to kill you."  Deck said.

          "What assassin?"  Max demanded.  "What can Logan do against an assassin?"

          "They still hunt us, Max."  A woman behind Max said.  Max turned to see Syl standing there.  "I didn't even see him coming.  He just jumped in front of me and used his body as a shield.  I didn't recognize him at first, but he shoved something in my hand and jumped up bloody and shouting as three men moved in on my position.  I tried to follow him but he was gone, moving at incredible speeds for a guy that was once confined to a wheel chair."  Syl said.

          Max hugged her.  "Who was trying to kill you?"

          "Familiars."  Deck said.

          "Logan couldn't possibly fight them alone."  Max said.

          "He can now, sort of.  When we brought him back after three weeks of treatments with the nanocytes, his spinal cord was almost fully healed.  He was in excellent condition and his strength was above average for a man of his build.  We gave him some injections."  Deck explained.

          "What kind of injections?"  Max asked.

          "I hunted you kids for one reason.  It was my job to get back what I had lost.  It cost three of you your lives.  I swore after I found you and Tinga that I would not let anything happen to any of you.  I had planned on finding a way to cure the DNA problem, but you had already transfused his blood and then Joshua transfused him for some reason..."  Deck paused hoping Max would enlighten him but she didn't.  "I had to assume you almost killed him again.  I figured out that I was right when I spoke to Cindy here."

          Max looked at OC.  OC stared back at Max.  "I had to tell him, boo.  There isn't much he doesn't already know."

          "Logan had been taking the nanocyte injections for three and half weeks when I got to him.  His body had already begun changing.  The nanocytes were coded to repair his DNA and return his internal systems to their natural state, but their natural state by this time was one containing two things.  Your DNA encoded stem cells and Joshua's enriched canine blood.  He still looks the same and he still is the same, but his internal systems have adapted with the help of the nano technology giving him a super-regenerative capability.  He is not as strong as any of you kids.  He is not as fast as any of you kids.  He regenerates about five times your rate though.  A bullet wound will heal in a day with your body, Max.  The scar will be gone in three.  In Logan the same wound will heal in about four hours.  The healing will be complete.  No lingering effects or scars.  The nanocytes will use the metal in the body to reinforce broken bones and such.  It is what they are coded for."

          "You mean you made Logan one of us?"  Max asked.  "Is that what you are saying?"

          "Not exactly.  Logan's body will not deteriorate.  His body had millions of stem cells floating around.  All of you kids have the same type of blood.  Logan has had two injections of your blood.  One from Joshua and he had similar treatment long before we realized what we were doing exactly.  Three transfusions of the stem cells left billions of the cells floating around in his system with nothing to do.  The nano tech found them and reasoned they had to be produced from somewhere but could not find where so they rewired his bone marrow to produce them exclusively.  They rebuilt his spinal cord and they continue to float around in there using his internal reserves to recreate themselves and help the stem cells by acting as a sort of supervisory staff.  They manage the stem cells his body now produces naturally."

          "What did you do to him?"  Max asked trying to take in all the information.  Scenarios flew through her mind.  "Are you trying to tell me that you made him..."  Max let the thought slip away.  "Who is this assassin?"  She asked changing the subject.

          "We don't know."

          "Then how did Logan find out?"

          "Logan hacked Manticore computers when we hit the DNA lab.  He is Elite as they call it.  No one inside even knew about it until it was too late.  He had access to computers in my camp."  Deck said.

          "He hacks available satellites to do the broadcasts."  Max mumbled.

          "What?"  Deck asked but he had already put it together.  So did Syl.

          "You mean Logan... The Eyes Only broadcast?"  Syl asked.  Heads turned.  Max couldn't believe she had muttered the words out loud.  She cursed herself.  Her eyes turned to OC who stepped up.  "Colonel?  I hope you understand the privileged nature of what you now know for sure."

          "My men are loyal.  They will not reveal information I already knew."  Deck said.  "What we need to do now is figure out who the assassin is and who he is working with."

          "If he doesn't have our strength or speed how is it he was able to outrun me?"  Syl asked.

          "He has a government issue exo-skeleton.  He used it to walk when he was paralyzed.  It adds strength and speed where it wasn't before.  If he has recovered fully and was as healthy as you said he was, the exo would give him a limited capacity that approached our own."  Max reasoned.

          "That would make sense now that I think about it."  Syl added.  "I was standing in front of a window looking at an outfit when I saw the reflection in the window behind me.  The three men were crossing the streets drawing guns and Logan came from above me but now that I think about it, he had to have jumped from the fifth floor roof to take the bullets."

          "He was shot?"  Max asked.  A worried tone slipped into her voice.

          "We know Max is the assassin's target.  We know Max is the main target, but any transgenic is at risk.  We know the assassin is in Seattle with friends, but we don't know how many."  Deck said.          

          "I know who it is."  Max said.

          "What?  How?"  OC asked.

          "You remember Harbor Lights?"  Max asked OC.  She nodded.  "I got shot and Logan played hell trying to save my ass from White.  Ames White.  A familiar with some connection to the main ringleaders in the cult.  He disappeared after the whole 'Harbor Lights' incident.  Logan and I assumed him dead, but he's not easy to kill.  I've tried.  I had an easier time of it with The Red Series."  Max said.  Syl asked what that was and OC promised to tell her sometime.  "White hates me with every fiber of his being.  I imagine he is the assassin if I am the main target and apparently Logan is trying to save me."  She said as a thought echoed in her mine.  'I will fix this no matter the cost…'  His words echoed.

          "Where would Logan be?  Where does he live?"  Lydecker asked.

          "I live in his place, but he hasn't been there in over a year.  He sent a man to me with some stuff for his computers and some money so I could survive.  He provided for me."  Max said.  The pride in her voice, strong and clear.

          "I know.  We need to know who he knows and where he would go besides his penthouse."

          "How do you know about the penthouse?"  OC demanded.

          "I had that information when Eyes Only contacted me.  We don't have time for an explanation."  Deck said turning to OC.  "You go over and wait at the penthouse in case he shows.  Contact me if he does whether he stays or not.  I have some other addresses and my people are set up on those positions.  He was in our camp almost a year so my men know him.  He trained with them."

          "What do you mean?  How did you train him?"  Max demanded.

          "We put him through the paces to help with his recovery.  The injections we gave him helped his body adapt to the new blood flowing in his system.  He is revved up to a degree but not physically stronger or faster and we couldn't make him smarter.  His body is akin to that of Wolverine in the old comic now.  He will regenerate at an incredible rate and because of this it won't deteriorate normally."

          "What did you do to him?"  Max asked.

          "I gave him a better life.  He's young.  He can adapt to the changes in time and he will live longer and healthier than he would have.  Max, when this is over, I will answer all of your questions.  Right now, we have to find him.  The Familiar assassin and his men are in town looking for you and Logan.  We have to find him before they do."  Deck said.

          Max looked at him.  Here was a man that had as much as died without a word when she could have used his help and now a year later, he stands spouting orders as he has always done.  Max wanted to kick herself for thinking Lydecker would ever change.  She looked down at her hand and stared at her keys.  A ride would do her good right now.  She stared at the keys in her hand.  The keys Logan had sent with the packages.  The keys to the penthouse, even though she already had a set, the keys to the safe houses Logan owned and the keys to the Aztec still parked in the garage under Fogle towers.  There were also keys from the cabin.  Max had added her Ninja key to the ring and that ride was looking better and better.

          She walked to her bike and climbed on.  Deck was right behind her demanding where she was going, but Max was out the door before anyone could get close enough to stop her.  Syl was out within a few seconds on her own ride.  Max didn't notice her following at a safe distance.

          Syl followed until Max was sitting at a sector checkpoint behind a line of cars.  Max didn't move when Syl pulled up beside her on her own bike.

          "I shouldn't have left him."  Max said.

          "Left who?"  Syl asked.

          "Logan.  I Love him so much it hurts and I walked away from him."

          "Why?  If you Love him so much..."

          "The virus..."  Max said as if she was going to explain it.  Syl was still staring at her.  "Manticore put a virus in me targeted to a specific gene sequence in Logan.  If I touch him, he dies.  It almost happened three times.  I left him because I wouldn't have been able to deal with being the reason he died, but I didn't realized how much he meant to me until I couldn't get in touch with him anymore.  One day he was living in his penthouse and the next he wasn't and it was my fault.  It's all my fault.  Always has been."

          "Max.  From what Lydecker was telling me, this Logan guy is a very dangerous man.  He was running these underground cable hacks bringing down the big game without a thought to his safety.  He had some sort of help to cover his tracks and Deck says his ability with the keyboard is off the scale."  Syl said as they inched closer to the checkpoint.

          "What kind of training did Lydecker give him?  What did dear old Deck do to Logan?"  Max asked.

          "I understand they put him through his paces with standard Ranger training up in the Colonel's personal compound in Canada.  He did months of training in many climates.  He's not perfect, but I can imagine how dangerous he could be with that exo-skeleton.  I saw him in action.  He's fast and strong.  He kicked one guy about fifteen, maybe twenty feet."

          "So Deck turned him into a soldier.  What a shock..."  Max said flashing her Jam Pony pass at the security guard.  She was through in a second, but didn't wait for Syl.  Syl had to hustle to catch up, but Max wasn't exactly trying to lose her.

          "So where we headed?"  Syl hollered as she coasted up next to Max.

          "That way."  Max yelled back not pointing in any particular direction.

          "You know where he is, don't you?"  Syl shouted.

          "I think so."  Max said.  "Time to go fast.  Try to keep up."  Max said pouring on the speed and ripping through the night on the winding twisting road toward her destination.  They were to the short dirt road an hour away in no time.  Max pulled her ninja off the side of the road and hid it behind some bushes.  She breathed deep taking in the moist flavor of the air.  She smiled remembering better days and wonderful memories she never wanted to forget.

          "Where are we?"  Syl asked.

          "Logan's cabin.  He used the last of his money to buy this cabin from his Aunt Margo after his Uncle was killed."

          "His Uncle was killed?"

          "Logan's parents were rich, but he was too young to take over his father's company after they were assassinated.  His Uncle Jonas gained control of the company making the microchips that run the hover-drones.  The company developed a drone that carried two silenced forty-five caliber machine guns.  Jonas' partner used the prototype drone to kill Jonas and then turned the drone on Logan."  Max explained while they stalked the forest toward the cabin.

          "You saved his life."  Syl said.

          "He's saved mine as often."  Max said holding up her hand signaling Syl they were close.  They moved behind a small hill.  Watching through the trees they could see shadows dancing on the wall.  Someone had lit a fire.  Max moved slowly hunched over prowling the night.  She made her way to the window and peered inside.  The room was empty.

          "What is it?"  Syl asked peeking into the room herself.

          "yeah..."  Max muttered stepping up and back from the cabin wall.

          "See.  I told you.  You have moves of your own."  A man's voice came from the darkness above.  Max looked up and there he was.  He was different, but then so was she.  She watched him as he squatted up there on the chimney.  He was watching her, waiting for her to respond.  Her words would set the mood and she knew it.

          'I do like a challenge...'  She thought to herself.  She was about to speak when Logan launched himself up into the air, flipping over, spinning to land directly in front of Max.  "No Challenge."  He said.  He seemed taller.  He was definitely stronger.  "I'm pretty sure you'd still kick my ass."  He said.  Max stared up at him.  The thoughts, the questions were running fast and hard in her head.  'Can I touch him?'  'Does he still Love me?'  'How the hell did he know what I was thinking?'  He smiled down at her.  She knew at least that he still loved her.

          "The virus will still kill me or so Lydecker tells me."  He said.

          "Logan..."  Max muttered.  She was smiling a ridiculously wide grin and her eyes were locked into Logan's.  She had become a girl.  Even now, without having seen him for over a year, Max felt safe in his presence, but she stepped back to be sure.  "Logan."  Max tried again.

          "I'm sorry.  I was an asshole.  I put too much pressure on you."  Logan started, but Max cut him off.

          "I never slept with Alec."  Max said.  "I never even kissed him."  Max said.  Syl was wandering away.

          "Hello. Syl.  It's been a very long time."  Logan said pulling Syl back into the conversation and helping with Max's present emotional state.  Max sighed, still smiling.

          "Yeah, about that.  I didn't know who you were.  Zach never told us.  I don't think he ever knew."  Logan and Max answered at the same time.

          "He knew."  They said.

          "I want to hear that story someday."  Syl said not understanding, Mistaking the response.

          "Someday."  Max said.  "I see you're not so afraid of heights anymore."  She turned back to Logan.

          "Sometimes when we fall so deep, the falling becomes a part of us.  The same old things don't scare us anymore."  He answered.  "I have some food inside, getting cold.  C'mon in."

          The three headed around the front and up onto the porch.  Max stopped and looked out into the darkness.  This place always had potential.  She had dreamed of her perfect life many times since meeting Logan and this was an important part of that life.  'Maybe now...'  She thought walking through the door finally and seeing Logan waiting for her.

          "Maybe."  Logan said.  

          "What?"  Syl asked.  Max was staring at him.  He heard her thought and answered it.  He had developed a sense about her.  She suddenly doubted that she could ever sneak up on him again.

          "I live in the penthouse now."  Max said suddenly.

          "I know.  Parker sent me the note."  Logan was pulling deep maroon drapes across the windows and turned up a small lamp in the center of the room.

          "Why didn't you come to me yourself?"  Max demanded.  "Why did you just stop speaking to me?  And don't tell me you ever believed that I was seeing Alec.  You gave me the option and I took it and I've hated myself for it every minute of every day."  Her outburst was controlled, but still emotional.

          "I offered the out and you took it.  You didn't have to.  I asked you to say no, to tell me it wasn't true.  I gave you the choice and you chose.  You didn't want me so I left."

          "That's the part I don't get, Logan.  You gave up.  You ran away."

          "Let me tell you a little story."  Syl said suddenly.  She lifted her hand to her ear and spoke.  "I have him, sir.  At the cabin, yes.  We are secure.  Logan, we know why you left Seattle.  Max.  I know why you left Logan.  We may not know the specifics, but we know how things went down after that small exposure.  Logan headed out and hunted some of the Familiars that he knew of.  He drew Ames White away from you and the others in Seattle.  He headed to Japan after they knew Logan was responsible for killing several of their numbers.  They turned all of their attention to him.  Lydecker had been following his exploits as Eyes Only for some time.  It is the only reason he accepted you, Logan.  You were protecting the Rogues, keeping our secret for us.  You were the only one.  He pulled you out and had every one he could find working on a way to fix you..."

          "You mean, make me worthy."  Logan said.  "I've already had this conversation with Lydecker.  The only reason he made me walk again was because he needed me alive and without the treatments I took in Japan, my life was doomed to a violent death from within."  The look Max gave him was one of stunned fear.  She hadn't suspected.  "My spinal cord was rejecting everything, it had even begun to reject Joshua's blood and I was falling apart from the inside out.  I had to go to Japan but the familiars were close.  He had no choice but to continue the treatments or at least some form of treatment.  He fixed me.  I'm not complaining about the end product, but I am complaining about the way he went about it."

          "He did it for a reason."  Syl said.  "We did all of this for a reason."

          "Working for Deck.  I didn't even see it."  Max said.

          "It's not like that.  We had exposure because of your little war with White and the Familiars.  Logan found Sandemann somehow and all hell broke loose.  Then the CDC got involved and just as suddenly, Logan disappeared.  What the hell were we supposed to do?  White was systematically eliminating us, one by one."  Syl argued with Max.

          "You could have told me about your involvement instead of using me to find Logan.  I would have helped a long time ago.  I have been in misery since I..."  Max stopped suddenly realizing that Logan was no longer in the room.  "Where did he go?"

          "Who?"  Syl asked before realizing that Logan was gone.  The women searched the apartment but Logan was not inside.  Max was out front and checking the roof but Logan was not up there.  Max listened intently for a minute before she heard it.  Somewhere off in the distance she heard a motorcycle.  It was not hers or Syl's.  It was a different one.

          "He's gone."  Syl said.

          "I have to find him.  Can I trust you to go back to Lydecker and tell him he blew it?"  Max asked.

          "I'm sticking to you.  You are the target here, not me."  Syl said.

          "Let's get the bikes then."  Max said.

          Max was distressed when she and Syl didn't catch up to Logan on the way back into the city.  Sure there were other ways into the city, and Logan probably knew all of them, but if he had been heading back into Seattle, he would have gone the quickest way.

          Back at operations, Lydecker was grilling someone they had pulled off the street.  Max walked up and recognized Matt Seung.  Matt recognized her instantly.

          "Detective."  Max said.

          "Hello, Max.  I'm sorry.  I didn't figure you would ever speak to me again."

          "You tried to help, but your hands were tied.  I understand.  There was nothing you could do at the time."  Max said to him, then to Lydecker.  "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you."

          "Max.  We have to find him.  No matter the cost."

          "Why?  Why is he so important to you?"

          "He isn't important to me.  He's important to you."

          "What do you mean?"  Max demanded.

          "I know everything, Max.  I know about Bast and Zach and Ben.  I know about the familiars and the virus.  I know about your DNA and what it did to him.  I know about Manticore assassins looking for him.  I know about the drone and the exo-skeleton and the transfusions and I know you Love him as much as he loves you."  Deck stopped and stared at the floor.

          "What is it?"  Max asked.

          "I infected him with the virus.  I programmed some nanocytes to build antibodies against it, but I never got the chance to inject them.  He fled later that night.  He came to save you."

          "Why didn't you inject the nanocytes?  Logan isn't stupid.  He wouldn't have just run off without the ability to fight the disease... unless you didn't tell him you injected him with the virus..."  Max worked it out in her head.

          "How much time does he have?"  Syl asked.

          "The other nanocytes will fight and repair damaged systems.  He may even pull out of it on his own.  If he doesn't then I would say he has about two days left.  Maybe three.  He will start to break down in about thirty-six hours and be bedridden in forty-eight.  He will only survive about two or three hours after that.  We have to find him."  Lydecker said.  His concern was evident.  But whether it was for himself or for Max and Logan, she couldn't tell.

          "I don't know where he is.  I might have an idea, but he hardly trusts me now as it is."  Max said cursing herself for screwing things up in the first place.

          "Go and find him.  Syl, I want you to take OC back to her apartment and get set up on the penthouse."  Deck wandered off spouting orders to men in every direction.  Max was already heading out the door.

          Max headed straight for the Needle.  If anything, Logan knew she would eventually go there so she just had to sit and wait.  It didn't take long.

          "I came alone this time."  She said as he walked up behind her.

          Max turned and looked at him.  He was standing near the center spiral several feet away.  His stance was defensive and Max knew instantly that he didn't trust her right now.

          "I'm alone and no one knows where I am.  Lydecker told me to find you and bring you in."  Max said to him.

          "I'll go in when I'm dead."  Logan said.  Max stared at him looking for some sort of smirk or smile, but she knew he was dead serious.

          "Why are you doing this?"  She asked him.  "It didn't have to happen this way." 

          "But it did.  You left me when I needed you and as it turned out, when you needed me most.  You didn't come back.  I waited and I paged and I called and I realized after about a month that I was alone again.  You know what.  Nothing else has changed.  I am still alone, but at the very least I am stronger even if for a little while."  Logan said.  Max knew Logan well enough to know when he had information he shouldn't.  She looked at him.

          "You know what Lydecker did?"  Max asked for an answer she already had.

          "Yes.  I have about a day and a half left."

          "Lydecker says you have three days at least.  He says he can save you."

          "I don't want to be saved.  I want it to end and tonight it will."  Logan said.  "I have all the information I need and with the regenerative capabilities of my new body and the training good old Deck put me through I only need a few minutes.  Take a couple of bullets and kill a dozen familiars and I win.  End of story."

          "What are you going to do?"  Max asked.

          "Do you think I'll tell you now?"  Logan asked.  "Do you really think I'd give you the information you need to run in with Deck and the boys and screw my plans up?  Do you think I care…"  Logan stopped instead of trying to hurt her.  She seemed to pick up on his feelings.

          "So you don't trust me anymore?"  Max asked.  "This is all my fault?"

          "No.  It's mine.  If I'd had bigger balls I'd have blown my brains out a long time ago.  I don't care anymore.  I'm an even bigger freak than you now.  I'm one of the nomlies but fortunately my hours are firmly numbered."

          "So why are you doing it?  Why don't you go find a cure.  You have the resources and the ability now.  Why don't you fight it?"  Max demanded.

          "Why would I want to do that?"  Logan asked with a cheesy little smirk that infuriated Max.

          "What about us?"  Max said.  "I still Love you."

          "A little late for that.  Besides, I provided for you.  You have the penthouse and the bank accounts and all the perks of being a spoiled rich man's woman and you won't even have to deal with me being around.  I'll be dead just like they wanted.  You said it yourself.  We're through.  Deal with it."  Logan said.  Max cursed herself for not noticing, but he had a line attached and when he jumped off the Needle she watched him disappear into the darkness below.  She screamed his name as she scrambled to get to the hook of his rope, but when she grabbed it to let herself down, a small charge popped and she found herself holding onto a limp rope.  Logan was already gone and she couldn't trust the damaged hook to hold her long enough to get down.

          A few minutes later she was on her baby and heading off into Seattle to find Lydecker.

          "Where is he?"  Deck asked.

          "He's gone."  Max said.  "I found him on the Space Needle, but your attempt to control the situation with Syl backfired and he won't trust me now.  If he dies..."  Max said grabbing Lydecker by his collar.  "I will personally rip you intestines out and boil them in your skull."  Max pushed Deck away from herself and left him sprawled out on the floor twelve feet away.  "I know Logan.  I know what he plans to do.  I just don't know how he plans on doing it."  She said.  Deck pulled himself up as Syl and the rest gathered around.

          "It's all about getting this group of Familiars in town in the same place.  Logan believes he can do it and he says he only needs a couple of minutes anyway.  He also knows you infected him.  He left your camp knowing you did it.  He is using it as an excuse to take them out."

          "How does he plan on getting the familiars in the same place at the same time?"  Syl asked.

          "You don't know Logan."  Max said.  "If he sets his mind to it, he accomplishes it.  Unfortunately, because of me he is going to give up.  He expects to die tonight."

          "Yeah, but where?"  Deck asked.

          "I don't know."  Max said before offering all of her information on the Familiars and everything Logan had in a folder she printed out the last time she was in the penthouse."

          "Colonel.  You need to see this."  One of the soldiers said.  Everyone walked over to the television.

          "This dramatic video comes from a live event happening downtown.  Police and the military are on the way but these two are obviously more of the transgenic soldiers that disappeared a year ago after the viral epidemic."  The voice of the newscaster was still talking but no one was listening.  A cell phone rang and Max grabbed it immediately.

          "Max."  OC said.

          "I know.  We're watching it now."  Max said as she hung up the phone.

          "What are we going to do?"  Syl asked.  "He can't fight them by himself."

          They watched as Logan kicked and jumped and eventually landed a right kick to the jaw.  He dropped the familiar hard enough to stun him.  It gave him enough time to get behind him and attempt to snap his neck.

          "What the hell was that?"  One of the soldiers asked.  "Did anybody else see that?"

          "We all saw it."  Logan popped some kind of a capsule.  A gas pellet of some kind but as soon as the familiar breathed in, he died and Logan just pretended to snap his neck.  Then Logan was gone jumping a fence and running at incredible speed into the night.

          "They know now.  We need to figure out where he is headed."  Deck said.  "He's going to gas them."

          "And himself."  Max added with a slightly shaky voice.

          "What do you mean?"  Syl asked.

          "He told me he only needed a few minutes.  His exact words were 'take a couple of bullets and kill a dozen familiars and I win.  End of story.'  He has a plan and they are going to walk right into it."

          Max walked over to a window and looked out.  She needed to think but she was worried about Logan.  He had been in a bad way before, but now he was just being stupid.  A breaking story came back on the TV and Max couldn't help it.  She knew it was about Logan.  The transgenic as he was called now had just kidnapped an older woman from a business office not far from the penthouse.  He was being followed by a hover-drone.  It was obviously a ploy.  Max recognized the building.  She shouted the address as she ran for the garage and left the building on her ninja.

          Across town and into the high rise district in record time, she was able to see a handful of familiars entering a large warehouse not far from the convention center.  She approached as the others were just heading into the sector, Max could hear auto locks bolting the doors.  She ran up but could not get in.  A quick run around the side led her to a drainpipe she could climb to a window high up near the roof.  Syl had approached and was climbing right behind her.

          Up on the roof, Max and Syl ran over to the skylights and looked in.  The windows were dirty, but they could see Logan standing there surrounded by several familiars.  He cracked another gas pellet and the woman in his arms dropped dead instantly.  Max saw one near a doorway fall and Syl pointed out a third.  Both transgenic women listened closely as White pointed a pistol at Logan.

          "Hello Amy."  Logan said.

          "Logan Cale.  The great and powerful Eyes Only."  White said.  "You shouldn't have done that."

          "There goes another one."  Logan said as a body fell by the electronically locked door.  "The gas is not extremely harmful to humans, but you guys drop instantly when you breathe it.  Sandemann told me about the whole thing although he didn't realize he did.  He's a very secretive man."

          Another body fell.  White was looking around.  A fourth victim collapsed followed by a fifth.  The gas was filling the warehouse slowly but surely and the familiars were dropping like flies.  White pulled the trigger shooting Logan in the calf just below the knee.  He went down hard and Max stood up to jump, but Syl held her back.

          "What the hell did you do?"  White asked.

          "I killed you.  All of you.  Expose 452 and the other kids and I hunt you down like the dogs you are.  You made the wrong enemy this time Amelia.  You have no control over this situation."  Logan explained as White shot him in the arm.  The gas claimed two more familiars.  The ones left moved into the center of the room, surrounding Logan although they weren't paying much attention to him.  White moved in closer to Logan until the two men were face to face.

          "Do you think we are all there is?"

          "No.  I think you are the ones that matter though.  It's going to be another millenia or three before you can have this little 'coming' festival of yours.  Pretty good for a human, eh?"  Logan said as he laughed.  Other familiars in the closer circle dropped until only Logan and White were left.  Logan could see in his eyes that the gas was getting to him.  They turned blue then a deep purple and then they went white.  White pulled the trigger three more times before he collapsed on top of Logan.  Max was just staring down into the warehouse when Lydecker and his men burst in wearing gas masks and checking bodies.  Max and Syl headed down the fire escape on the far side of the building.

          "Where is he?"  Max asked one of the soldiers.

          "I don't know, but don't go in without a mask."  He said tossing her one.

          Inside, she could see the familiars were dead.  She saw Deck standing over the group of bodies in the center and he had a look Max hadn't seen in quite some time.  He was stumped.  She walked up and grabbed his shoulder.

          "He's gone, Max."  Deck said.  Max almost started to cry.  Deck realized what she was about to do.  "No Max.  His body.  It's gone."

          Max looked down and watched as the soldiers pulled the bodies from the pile in the center of the room to reveal a sewer entrance.  Logan had slipped down into the sewer.  Max knocked two men out of the way and yanked the cover off.  She jumped straight down into the sewer and looked both ways in the long round tunnel.  She could very faintly make out the sound of an engine very far off and chased after the direction it sounded like it was coming from, but as quickly as she heard the noise she lost it in the night somewhere.

          Climbing from another sewer somewhere, she was standing in the middle of the Fogle Towers garage.  It was deadly silent.  Her heart skipped a beat as she realized that he might have gone up to the penthouse and she found herself willing the elevator to move faster, but when she opened the door, she knew he was gone.  He was gone and unless he went to Lydecker himself, he would soon be dead.  The Cell phone appeared in her hand and she was talking to Lydecker almost instantly.

          "I followed the noise out of the sewer but he isn't around."

          "He didn't come back here.  Don't worry Max, we will find him."  Deck said.  She knew he meant well.  She knew he would try, but she also knew Logan.

          "No.  You won't."  She said as she tossed the disconnected phone to the couch and sat down facing the window.  Maybe.  Just maybe...  She hoped.  She prayed to the Blue Lady, she begged actually although she didn't believe anyone cared anymore.

          **Three Months Later.**

          Max and OC were sitting in the kitchen of the penthouse with a small group of friends.  Sketchy had wandered into the living room and turned on the TV to see what was on.  He was laughing about something when Max heard the very familiar crackle and pop of the coming Eyes Only broadcast.

          "Hey, guys.  It's Eyes Only."  Sketch said.  "I haven't seen him in almost a year."

          Max was the first one into the room.  OC stood right behind her.

          "Do not attempt to adjust your set.  This is a streaming freedom satellite hack of the Eyes Only Informant Net.  This hack will last only sixty seconds.  It cannot be traced and will never be silenced.  Several months ago, I lost something more important to me than my own life.  A group of alien human hybrids you all knew as The Familiars took something from me.  I will have that perfect something back no matter the cost.  Unfortunately, in uncovering the secrets of a five thousand year old cult, Eyes Only has learned some secrets about our own government and some of the agencies that reside within that system.  Over the next several weeks, Eyes Only will expose these covert agencies and the men and women behind them.  This is a warning to anyone that works for these organizations."  A series of names from businesses to congressional boards and several personal names scrolled across the screen.  "Eyes Only knows who you are and I will find you.  I will expose you.  I will end your careers and destroy your organizations.  Eyes Only will not fail.  I WILL BECOME YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE.  You have been put on notice.  You will fall.  This has been an Eyes Only satellite hack of the Streaming Freedom Video Network.  Peace.  Out."

          Max watched intently and just before the last snap and crackle for a few frames only, Max saw her number flash inside the pupils of Logan's eyes.  The color was only a few shades off of his blue-grey tones but he had known Max would catch it.  He wouldn't do it twice.  He wouldn't risk her safety again.

          "Max."  OC said.  Sketchy grabbed her shoulder.  "He's alive.  At least that's good news, right?"

          "Who?"  One of the Jam Pony messengers asked.

          "Isn't it cool that Eyes Only is back?"  Another one asked.

          "He's really going to take on some corruption in the government."  A third offered.  The party started to kick back up but Max, OC and Sketchy stood there in a small huddle.

          "What if he needs me?"  Max asked.

          "What if he does?  He'll contact you.  You know he will."  Sketchy said.

          "Sounds like he's still trying to protect you."  OC said.

          "Yeah."  Max said.  "I Love him, too."

          She found herself sitting on top of the Needle while the party was going on in her apartment.  She sat up there for hours and just looked out over the broken city she called home.  One day soon she would make arrangements to lock up and go looking for Logan, but tonight, she would go back to the party and hang out with her friends.

          She swung down into the main dining area of the Needle, she noticed something hanging against the wall by the elevator shaft.  It was an envelope and a withered white rose.  Perfect Love, pure and true.  Her name was on the note.  Max smelled the rose and tucked the envelope into her pocket.  She would read it later and know exactly where to find Logan.  She believed he could never leave her and she had been right.  He had come back for her and was waiting patiently so they could save the world together.

Well there it is.  It's just something I wrote after the Harbor Lights to Hello/Goodbye sequence.  I refuse to accept that Max would ever truly give up because of the virus.  It's just not in the stars…

Hope you liked it.

More stories coming soon.


	3. Part Three

I know I said this story was complete but some of you didn't like it that way.  I understand leaving Max and Logan separated isn't exactly a good ending but at least he was alive in the end of part two.  Anyway, I have plenty of stories to fit this storyline so you may see more but for now this story is complete.  There may be more, but I doubt it.  I really thought it was complete before and look what happened.

The basic premise is Logan left Max a note so she would be able to meet him when the timing was right.  The only problem was that Logan didn't show up when he was supposed to and Max decides to find out why.

It's rated R for the violence and language of course so read now and review later.  Hope you all enjoy it.                 

The One and Only Eyes

          He didn't know who they were.  He didn't know where they had come from.  He wasn't even sure they knew who HE was, but they stood there over his badly beaten body and laughed at him.

          "TELL US!"  They yelled from somewhere far away.  "Where is the Manticore girl?"

          "I told you, I don't know any Mandi Core."  He whispered, but he was sure they didn't care.

          "TELL US!"  They demanded, kicking him in the ribs.  Kicking him in the legs.  Kicking him in the back.  He coughed up some blood and it just pooled in more blood under his chin.  "Where is she?"  One of them held a picture in front of his face.  He could barely focus.  He looked at the picture with his left eye.  The one not swollen shut.  It was not Max.  He started to laugh.

          "What's so funny?"  Came a voice attached to another kick.

          "Tell us where to find her and we will not kill you."

          The picture floated in front of his face again.  He looked at it through a blurry eye.  He couldn't be sure thinking maybe it was Jondy but it was definitely not Max.  He knew Max.  He knew her better than anyone except maybe herself.  He stared at the picture as he drifted away from that dungeon they had brought him too so many days ago.

          He was sure it was Jondy.  He had never met her but somehow he knew they were looking for her in particular.

          "I've never seen her before."  He whispered.  Everything started to turn black.  Everything started to fade out.  He was losing consciousness.  "I'm sorry."  He said.  His mind raced with visions of Max on his couch having a seizure.  Her laughter at one of his corny jokes.  Her smile.  The flavor of her cherry lips touched his bloodstained ones.  The memories of that flavor reached him and he could see her very far away.  They were kicking the body now, but he was gone.  He had left and there was nothing more they could do to harm him.  He had won.  They didn't get the information they wanted because of simple stupidity.  He was the right guy, but they were looking for the wrong girl.  "Maxie..." he whispered only to a void surrounding him.  

          "What's wrong witchu, girl?"  Original Cindy asked.

          "It's Logan."  Max said as Normal babbled and bipped handing both women a small pile of packages for some offices downtown.

          "Your boy okay?"

  
          "I don't know.  He was supposed to call me a week ago."  Max said.  She reached into her pocket and produced the short note he left in the space needle for her.  "He gave me a specific date and told me that he would call with information about where he was and when he would be returning to our place."

          "Our place?"  OC mouthed the words with a sly smile.  "He really was coming back then wasn't he?"

          "Yeah."  Max said.  "I've been expecting him to call so I could go have a little vacation."  She finished shoving packages into her bag and the two girls headed out.  Alec was just riding up with a big smile and a lipstick stain on his cheek.

          "Ladies."  He smiled.

          They ignored him and kept walking.  He overheard the conversation though and followed.  Max noticed him following immediately but she knew she would probably need his help if Logan was truly in trouble so she let him hear what she wanted him to.

          "So when the call didn't come I waited.  I figured that everything going on with those familiars in the government… I mean he probably just forgot but it's been over a week now.  Eight days to be exact.  Logan is occasionally late but not this late."

          "Care to let me in on the little secret?"  Alec finally nudged in between the two women.  Max looked at him.  She looked at Cindy.  Cindy nodded.

          "I've got runs on the other side of town."  OC said.  "You know I'll be there if you need me."  She rode off with a wave and disappeared into traffic.

          "What's going on Max?"  Alec asked.

          "It's Logan."  She said.

          "What about him?  I thought he was out and about fighting the good fight on the East Coast?"

          "He's been fighting the good fight, but he was supposed to call me."  She again pulled the note and handed it to Alec.  He read it and handed it back.

          "That's damn specific.  You think he's in trouble."  Alec concluded.  He smiled.  He laughed.  "Then we have to get him out of it."

          "Thanks, Alec.  I appreciate it."

          "I'll meet you over at the penthouse at six.  We'll go over everything then.  Who's helping?"  He asked.

          "It's just us."  She said.  "I can't ask anyone else to be involved in this."  Max hopped on her bike and sped into oncoming traffic taking the corner between two delivery vans.  Alec laughed as the second driver was cussing through his windows.

          He didn't know how much time had passed.  He had been out until his mouth was thick with something rank and his body was one solid mass of pain and bruises.  He rolled over on his back and looked up at the ceiling.  Both eyes were open.  They would soon realize something if he kept healing as fast as he had been.  In the last four days, they had tortured him for information about Jondy and he didn't have any of the information they wanted.  He had known Jondy was in San Francisco a while back but she was still avoiding Max for some reason and he didn't know why.  He looked at his hand where they had broken three of his fingers and noticed they were beginning to heal.  Visions raced through his mind as he tried to figure out how he was connected to these kidnappers and or Jondy.

          _Japan__ glittered and bustled with activity below him.  He thought only about __Max__ while he was in __Dr.__Kotogiri_'s___ lab.  The Doctor was a very quiet woman but she seemed to sense __Logan__'s loss.  They talked for a long time after each treatment about __Max__.  He knew the Doctor knew more than she was letting on..._

          _The doctors were transfusing his body with a mixture from a blood sample of __Max__ and __Logan__'s blood and some amino acids and other chemicals.  __Doctor _Kotogiri___ had matched some anomalous DNA in __Logan__'s system to __Max__'s viral laden sample to engineer the nanotech __Logan__ would need to fight the virus eventually.  __Logan__ asked her to keep it off the record._

_          Three weeks of burning blood vessels, needles, intensive therapy and isometrics and __Logan__ was actually able to stand without the exo-skeleton.  He still had trouble walking long distances but he could at least stand on his own.  The atrophy in the muscles would take some time to repair…_

_          It had been a beautiful day.  The sun was shining.  The park outside the hospital was full of patients and visitors.  No one seemed to care about the three black vans driving around the emergency entrance toward the path Logan and Dr. Kotogiri were walking.  They were talking about Max when the van doors opened revealing soldiers wrapped in black…_

          Then the water hit him and he drank the foul stench filled stuff from the old hose his kidnappers used to clean him off.  He rolled over as they threw an old potato at him.  He pulled it over to him and bit into it.  It tasted rotten, but he didn't care.  He hadn't couldn't remember the last time he had eaten.

          He could hear them talking, yelling actually.  The voices were both male and they were arguing.

          "He can't take much more."  The first voice said.  "I'll tell you now, no one takes this much and doesn't talk."

          "Everyone talks.  Every single one of them talks.  You talked.  I talked.  We all talk eventually."  The second voice said.

          "The dead ones don't and that is exactly what he's going to be if we continue on this course."

          "One more and then we leave him in the box for a few days.  He knows where the transgenic is.  I know he knows.  I can see it in his eyes."  A door somewhere opened and closed and he knew what was coming.

          A hand slapped the potato away after only a few bites and he just dropped his head onto the floor.  They were going to beat him some more.

          Alec was already waiting for the elevator when Max and OC walked into Fogle Towers.  "I still have to get my last set of signatures to Normal."  She said.

          "You have time for coffee and a snack.  You've been running like mad all day."  Max said.  "C'mon up before you head over to the office."

          Max sat down in front of the computers in the office.  OC walked to the kitchen and made some coffee.  Alec sat in a chair and watched Max.

          "What are you going to do?"

          "I don't know.  He hasn't had anything on the informant net since that group of senators was exposed last month.  He's been updating his files here on the server every time there was a new story and I've been tracking him that way but the usual week or two of inactivity is moving into its fifth week.

          "Could it be that Logan has finished his little crusade against the corrupt government types and is closing up shop to come home?"  Alec asked.

          "Did you even read the note, Alec?"  Max asked.  "That's why he was going to call me.  He had planned to let me know if he needed me or was coming home.  He didn't call and I can find nothing on the IN."

          "Then what are you looking for?"  Alec asked.

          "I have no idea."

  
          OC brought some coffee and snacks into the room and Alec and she ate something while Max read and reread files from the informant net.  After a short time OC excused herself to finish up her day at work.  She arrived at Jam Pony almost an hour later.

          "Where the hell have you been?  It's not bad enough that Max and Alec lit out of here early but I've come to expect more from you missy."  Normal was shouting without even looking at OC.

          "There are some things going on with Max and her squeeze."  OC said.  "He's missing in action and no one seems to know where he is."

          "What do I care and how long is she going to be gone this time?"

          "Logan was supposed to return from wherever he had gone but he didn't show up when he was supposed to.  That was over a week ago.  An SPD detective is looking into some angles right now…"  Normal interrupted her.

          "Wait a minute.  You said 'Logan' right?"

          "Yeah."

          "Logan Cale?  His father ran Cale industries until his death?"

          "Yeah, why?"  OC asked.  "You know him, he's been in here many times looking for Max."

          Normal rummaged around on the wood table that passed for a desk and pulled up two pieces of paper.  "Three men came in the other day and asked for a trace on these two packages.  I couldn't trace them because they didn't have numbers.  I remembered the packages.  Some little weasel looking guy brought them in.  The packages were from Logan Cale and were going to someone out of state.  We were going to deliver them to a Fed Ex station downtown.  I thought that was a familiar name.  Mr. Cale is one of my best clients."

          "You mean he's been using Jam Pony?"  OC asked.  "For how long?"

          "He been using Jam Pony for two years.  Great customer.  Set up a monthly tab that he never misses paying whether he uses us or not.  I hope you find him."

          "Thanks.  I think."  OC said taking the paper and heading out.

          Max was on the vid phone with Sebastian.  Alec launched himself at the door when she opened it but he recognized her immediately and smiled.

          "Sorry."  He said.  "Things are a little tense around here right now."

          "What?  Why?"

          "I'll let Max explain."

          "Whassup, boo?"  OC asked walking in the office.  She waited until Max was finished with her call.

          "Thanks, Sebastian.  I owe you a few now.  Call me if you need me."

          "I will, but find Logan for us.  Only you can."

          "Cindy..."  Max started.  

          "Boo?"

          "It's Logan.  That was a friend named Sebastian.  He has been in contact with Logan over the IN just like I have.  He said Logan was tracking a militant group from The Brazilian Coalition just a few weeks back.  It seems the uprising in Mexico isn't going as well as they had planned so the government there hired a team of international terrorists to do some back door work on the Mexican army."

          "What does this have to do with Logan?"  OC asked.

          "Well, the terrorists couldn't get into the country without help.  They needed a large force in the country and with the burgeoning stability and the change of hands in Washington it's hard for them to move large groups of soldiers in.  Logan has been tracking their movements.  It seems they have an ulterior motive for gaining entrance into the US."

          "What kind of an ulterior motive?"  OC asked.

          "They are trying to get a hold of a transgenic female."  Alec said.

          A small woman, wrapped in the deep blue of the night sky moved through the chill of the mountain air without sound.  Long flaming red hair tied in a pony tail waved behind her as she moved along in the misty cold night.  She knew what she was looking for; she just didn't know where she should be looking for it.  She had to find Eyes Only and to do that she had to find Zack.  The only problem was she couldn't find Zack.  She hadn't heard from him in months and there wasn't a new contact number after the last one fell through.  She knew Zane had been in LA before the Eyes Only broadcast last year and that he had moved to Denver.  So she found herself in Denver.  She would find him somewhere, that much she knew for certain and maybe together, they could find the mysterious Eyes Only.

          She had been in Denver for two days since receiving the package from Seattle.  It was her only lead and she was definitely not going to go check on this guy alone.  She had thought about Max a lot since learning she lived in Seattle and refused to leave, but how could she go to Max after what she did so many years ago.

          'I should have pulled you out of the ice, Maxie, but I was scared and Lydecker was too close.'  She thought as she waited outside the fifteenth garage she had come across trying to find the most mechanically inclined member of the escapees.  'I know I failed you, but you got away and I just ran away.  How you must hate me.'

          She froze when she heard a footstep in the shadows behind her.  A low growl came from the German Shepard that had stalked her.  She turned to see a man standing behind a vicious looking animal.

          "Jondy?"  The voice was almost confused.

          "Zane?"  She said, not moving from fear of the dog.  "Is that you?"

          "Jondy.  I can't believe... is it really?  What are you doing in Denver?"

          "I'm looking for you."

          "Why?"

          "I need your help.  Can we go someplace and talk?"

          "It's okay Charlie."  Zane said patting the dog.  "She's my sister.  Come with me.  Charlie won't hurt you.  He's as sweet as they come unless I tell him to cut loose."

          They talked as they walked.  She led him back to her motorcycle.  He made some offhand comment about her black Ninja and led her to an abandoned warehouse he called home.  She explained the situation about Eyes Only to Zane and he agreed they should find him.

          "I really just want to find out how he knows about us."  Zane said.  "I wonder if Maxie is familiar with him?"

          "Max?"  Jondy asked.

          "I highly doubt she hates you Jondy."  Zane said.  They had obviously had this conversation before.  "You were nine at the time.  You would have been caught trying to save her and neither of you would have escaped."  

          "Maybe we can find her while we're in Seattle."  Jondy said.  Her voice was hopeful but hushed.

          "I hear Krit and Syl worked with Max and Zack blowing up the DNA lab back at Manticore."  Zane said.  He didn't tell her that Syl told him Max had died in that little engagement and Zack had been captured.  It would have broken her heart to hear that.

          "Yeah.  I heard that too.  We should get going.  Do you have a ride?"  Jondy asked.  Zane walked over to a pile of dingy old carpets and tarps and pulled them off an old GSX Hayabusa.

          "Back in the day you couldn't find a bike faster than this monster.  I had to modify it at some cost to its speed so I could carry Charlie with me, but it's still faster than your little Ninja over there.  No offense, sis."

          "I'm 5' 6."  You're 6' 3."  She said.  "I can't even wrap my legs around that thing.  My 'little' ninja suits me just fine."  She said with a smile.  "Shall we?"

          The trio set off on the two bikes toward Seattle.

          Jondy looked over to Zane across the table from her.  They had watched the cable hack at the diner in Idaho where they had stopped for a quick meal and some fuel.

          "So what's with the search for Eyes Only?  This about that hack last year?"  Zane asked.

          "Not exactly."

          "What exactly?"

          "Some guy in Seattle sent me a package.  He sent the package through a private courier.  It contained a warning that someone was looking for me.  He had pictures and information and I went over every inch of it before I had to run."

          "Run from what?"  Zane asked.  

          "There is a terrorist group looking for me.  It seems they have found out that I'm revved."  She said.  "This guy in Seattle sent me the package to warn me."

          "Or this guy led them right to you."  Zane offered his two cents worth.  It was obvious that Jondy had already been over that line of logic.

          "No.  I've already thought about that.  This guy in Seattle had information about something called the Red Series that went after another one of us in Seattle about two years back.  This guy was trying to help me."

          "Why do you think they're after you and why did this guy choose to warn you?"  Zane asked.

          "I don't know."

          "But you have a theory."  Zane said.  "I can see it in your eyes."

          "Yeah…"  She muttered.

          "So…"

          "I think I know who the guy is.  I've worked it over in my brain for days now.  I can reach no other logical conclusion.  Even the illogical ones lead to the same response."

          "Which is?"  Zane asked.

          "I think Eyes Only tried to warn me."

          "Are you crazy?"  OC demanded.

          "I will not lose Logan."  Max said standing alone in the office with OC.  "Things were screwed up for a year.  We fought our feelings for a year.  Then I died in his arms and when I came back to him he almost died in mine.  We struggled and in the end I walked away from him.  I have a chance to fix that mistake with this.  I will not lose him."

          "Max.  You don't even know where to begin searching.  Where are you going to start looking?  You don't know because you haven't got a clue about where they are."  Alec said as he walked into the office.

          "And even if you do find them, how do you know they have Logan?"  OC asked.  "Maybe Logan went into hiding when he found out they were looking for you."

          "What if Logan didn't have a chance to go into hiding?  He would have contacted me on the IN.  He would have called.  He would have got a message to me.  I know they have him and his life is in danger.  I can feel it."

          "You can't go rushing off like a madwoman."  Alec said.

          "I don't care."  Max said.  "Logan has protected me in the past at great risk to himself.  He took on Manticore for me.  He stood beside us through that whole familiar thing.  I will take on any terrorist group.  I will take on all of them if I have to but I will not lose him!"

          Cindy held out her arms to Max and the two girls hugged.  "Max.  You need a few hours rest.  You haven't slept for days and it's beginning to slow you down.  Please."  Cindy and Max held onto each other for a lingering moment.  "Go in and get some sleep."

          "Awww…"  Alec said with a smile.  "That's sweet.  OC is right, Max.  You're wasted.  You're not thinking straight.  Get some rest.  We'll keep our eyes on things."

          Max and Cindy walked to the door into Logan's bedroom.  Max breathed deeply and inhaled his scent.  It was fading but still there.  She had come into this room with him in it so many times.  Sometimes he was sleeping and she just watched him taking in everything her senses brought to her.  Max walked in alone as she has done for so long now.  She took an old blue shirt of his into the bathroom.  She took a hot shower pulling Logan's shirt on after she dried off.  She sat on the edge of the bed and could almost feel him there sleeping soundly.  She found herself wishing it were true as she pulled herself to the pillow and set her head down.  She fell asleep almost instantly.


	4. Part Four

          Logan woke as a closed fist slammed into his stomach.

          "Tell us what we want to know and the pain will stop."

          Logan lifted his head feeling the pain in his neck muscles.  He looked into the eyes of the man torturing him yet again for information he did not have.  He laughed and spit blood into the man's face.

          "Fuck you."  He coughed.

          He screamed as they whipped him with the bullwhip rigged to an electrical source.  The whip crackled and he could smell his own skin burning with each strike.

          A man grabbed his head and looked into his eyes.  He looked back at the man and smiled.

          "Are you really going to die for her?"

          "I don't...  *cough* know, *cough* who SHE is."  Logan spit blood into the man's face.  His head dropped when the man let go of it turning to the torturer.

          "He doesn't know her.  No one could take this much pain without talking.  This guy is a spoiled rich kid and he has endured more than most of the soldiers I have worked over.  I can tell you now that he has never seen the woman before."

          "Leave him hanging."  The man said, storming out of the room.

          "Yes, sir."

          Logan started laughing.  All present turned to face him.  He just laughed until he broke down into an uncontrollable fit of coughing and gradually passed out.

          _Max leaned in and gently touched his face.  He winced at the pain she caused unintentionally._

_          "Oh God, __Logan__.__  What are they doing to you?"_

_          "I'm okay, __Max__."  He said._

_          "No.  You're not.  They are killing you."_

_          "Its all good, right."_

_          "Not like this.  They are hurting you."_

_          "I stopped feeling the pain days ago."_

_          "__Logan__..."_

_          "They won't win."  Logan said as he winced again at her touch.  "They won't win, Max… they can't win."  He said._

_          "I'll get you out of here."  __Max__ said pulling her hand away as he winced at her touch again.  They both heard a faint noise._

_          "Someone's coming."  They both said simultaneously._

          Max woke with a start and sat straight up in the bed.  She looked out the window and caught a shadow moving quickly past the glass against the full moon.  She rolled out of the bed and dropped to the floor.  The dream had been too real.  They were torturing Logan for information he didn't have.

          She crawled over to her clothes piled on the floor and pulled her pants on.  She knew Alec was gone, but she didn't know if Cindy was still out in the apartment or in the guest room.  She slipped into the guest room and noticed Cindy sleeping soundly.  She backed into Logan's bedroom soundlessly before turning into the apartment.

          Over by the far window, she could see someone standing in shadow.  The figure was very tall and not moving anything but his hands.  A slight glimmer from the moon in a window lit the hands and she picked up on the hand signals the figure was sending to someone else.  She moved down the hall into a shadow near the sunroof where she could watch the window and the sunroof at the same time.

          Someone was peering into the apartment from above Max.  She waited for the intruder to drop into the penthouse.

          "You still haven't told me how you know about this guy?"  Jondy asked.

          "Zack told me he has a penthouse apartment in Fogle Towers.  He said he'd been here a few times and this guy helped him dig up some information."

          "How is it he knew this guy?"  Jondy asked.

          "I guess Max used to hang out here quite a bit."  Zane said.  "At least Zack was always finding her here."

          "Max?"  Jondy asked.  "Max used to date this guy?"

          "I don't know.  I got the distinct impression that Max and this guy worked together but Zack wasn't one to elaborate.  I do know this guy used to get under Zack's skin but I don't know why."

          "There doesn't seem to be anyone inside."  Jondy said.

          "I saw someone sleeping in the bedroom as I swung by.  Go check the sunroof and see if you can get in there.  I will go through the window over here."  Zane said.

          "If he really is Maxie's boyfriend, then he has to have her number."  Jondy said.  Zane looked at her.  He wanted to tell her Max was dead, but decided not to.  They would get their information and maybe this guy Zack hated would tell her.

          Max tossed a rope out onto the floor when the figure looked away to signal entrance to her friend on the patio.  They both moved at the same time.  The figure dropped into the rope harness and Max moved instantly capturing the smaller one in the rope before launching herself at the tall one moving through the window.  She jumped out of the shadows and ran up along the wall and window throwing a kick to the man's face sending him sprawling across the couch.  She jumped over it and grabbed his throat.

          "Who are you?"  She demanded.

          The man looked up into her eyes and she could see the confusion in his face.  He hadn't been expecting anyone to be there and on him so quick.  She could tell by the look in his eyes.  He had thought his plan foolproof.

          "What do you want?"  Max demanded.

          "Max?"  The small voice worried her.

          "Who are you?"  Max demanded choking the man.

          "Is it really you?"  Jondy asked quietly as she struggled to untie herself and stand up.  "Maxie?"

          Max eased up on the man's neck as realization hit her.

          "Zane?"

          "Max."  The man said.  She let go of his neck helping him to his feet.  Cindy came out of the bedroom and turned the lights on.  Max stumbled back falling into the couch.  She hadn't taken her eyes from Zane.

          "Max.  You're supposed to be dead."  He said.

          "What?!?"  Jondy asked surprised.

          "I'm not."  Max said.

          "What do you mean, Zane?"  Jondy demanded.

          "The DNA lab.  Max was killed in the assault.  Krit told me so."  He reached out and grabbed her neck palming her barcode like he used to do so many years ago.  "But you're here now.  How?"  He pulled her into his arms.  "Dammit, shrimp, I'm so glad to see you alive."

          "Long story.  They took my body into Manticore and transplanted a heart.  Zack's heart.  He gave his life to save mine.   With Logan's help, I blew up Manticore when I escaped a few months later."  Max turned around and looked at Jondy.  She stepped forward, but Jondy dropped to her knees and started crying.

          "Jondy?"

          "Maxie."  She said through her tears.  "I'm sorry.  Oh God I am so sorry."  Max knelt in front of her first true friend.

          "Why.  For what?"

          "What I have done."

          "What did you do?  I don't understand."

          "I left you there when you fell through the ice.  I panicked and ran and left you behind.  I failed you then and now I am failing you again."

          "Jondy.  You can't be serious.  Just because these guys are looking for me doesn't mean it's your fault they took Logan."

          "What do you mean, I thought these guys were looking for Jondy?"  Zane asked.

          "Logan told me."

          "When?"  Original Cindy asked walking up to the group.

          "Who are you?"  Zane demanded of Cindy.

          "She's my friend, Zane.  She's harmless unless you piss her off."

          "When did Logan tell you?"  OC asked again.

          "Last night."

          "You talked to him?"  Jondy asked.

          "Not exactly.  Ever since I transfused him, we, Logan and I have started to have simultaneous lucid dreams and last night after Cindy made me get some sleep, I talked to Logan.  Jondy.  It's not your fault they took him."

          "Yes it is."

          "How do you figure?"  OC asked.

          Max looked back to Jondy and lifted her face to look into her eyes.  "You escaped and after a cold stint in the water, so did I.  I never blamed you for leaving me.  I will never blame you for that or for Logan's kidnapping.  You did nothing wrong by saving yourself.  We were kids doing something we shouldn't have had to do.  Manticore is gone.  Lydecker isn't looking for us anymore.  The familiars are broken and won't be bothering us anymore.  Jondy, don't ever think for a minute that you did something wrong to me.  I got out just as you did and I have had a great life ever since.  Well, for the most part."

          Both girls were shedding a tear or two as they slowly reached up and hugged each other.  Zane rolled his eyes and reached down lifting both girls up by their shoulders in a hug.

          "It's good to see you Maxie."  Zane said.  He looked at Jondy.  "Now get over yourselves.  We have work to do and I smell some real coffee brewing."  Zane let the girls go with a final squeeze before turning to find the kitchen and Original Cindy.

          "You don't hate me?"  Jondy asked.

          "Get over it."  Zane yelled from the kitchen.

          "Not one bit.  Do what our big brother says."  Max said pulling her favorite sister into her arms and squeezing her hard.  "Sorry about the rope thing."

          "Don't worry about it.  I am impressed.  I shouldn't have let my guard down, but hand to hand wasn't always my strongest suit around the rest of you."

          The girls walked to the kitchen and could hear Zane giving Cindy the third degree about Logan and Eyes Only and the terrorist group.  Max started to say something but the phone rang.  Max picked it up. 

          "Yeah?"

          "This is Sebastian."

          "Oh, Hi Sebastian.  Did you find out anything?"

          "I hacked the NSA phone database and recorded some phone calls.  You will have to do some recon but I think Logan is being held in an old warehouse on an abandoned airstrip in Pomona.  If I get anything more concrete, I'll page you."

          "Thanks Sebastian.  I owe a bunch of favors now."

          "Get Logan back.  Keep him safe and we will call it even."  His disembodied mechanical voice said.  "Goodbye, Max."

  
          "Bye Sebastian and thank you again."  Max said as she set the phone down.  

          "We will have to do some recon, but Sebastian said he is pretty sure Logan is being held just north of Los Angeles on a private air strip now abandoned."

          "Sounds like some serious recon.  May I see the phone?"  Zane asked.

          "Sure."  Max handed him the phone and took her coffee from Cindy.

          "Is this line secure?"  Zane asked.

          "Logan does..." she thought about the cable hacks then stopped.  "He doesn't take any chances with anything."

          "Hey, it's me."  Zane said.  "Yeah.  You know that old airstrip out in Pomona?  Yeah that's the one.  I need you to do some recon for me..."  He paused listening.  "Yeah, this terrorist group seems to have a friend there or at least we think they do and I need the recon ASAP."  Zane looked at Max.  "Is this Sebastian guy trustworthy?"  Max nodded.  "Yeah.  Info is solid.  We are on our way.  Are you still in touch with Syl?  She's there?  Good.  Yeah, I think we'll need all the help we can get on this one.  Later."  Zane looked around the small group.  "That was Krit.  He lives in LA and he said Syl is in town on her way to San Diego.  Do we know where the others are?"

          "Tinga is dead, killed by Renfro in some extraction chamber meant for me.  Ben is dead too."  Max didn't go into detail about Ben and she knew by the way Zane nodded that he knew the other X-5 were gone.  "Zack never let me have his contact number because of me and Logan so I don't know how to get in touch with anyone."  She didn't even mention Seth.

          "With Krit and Syl, Jondy, Max and me, we should be able to take down these guys."  Zane said.  "We'll know for sure when Krit and Syl get the recon data to us.  Max, Jondy and I are on motorcycles.  You got a ride?"

          "You bet."  she said.  "My Ninja is downstairs in the parking garage."

          "Ninja?"  Jondy asked.

          "Yeah.  Why."

          "Damn, you two are so much alike."  Zane said with a laugh.

          "I ride a Black Ninja with royal blue racing stripes."  Jondy said.

          "Mine's all black."  Max said.  "I have to call Alec.  He can help us."

  
          "Who's Alec?"  Zane asked.

          "Ben's twin from Manitcore.  Designation 494."

          "They twinned Ben?"  Jondy asked.

          "Yeah, but he is basically a good guy.  He works for Logan on occasion."

          "What do you mean?"  Zane asked.

          "Come with me.  I have to do something.  Cindy.  I'll need your help with this."  Max said.  Cindy could almost hear Max's mind working.  Max went in and sat down in front of Logan's computers and called up all kinds of information and ran several programs.  She punched the keys and made some film and put together a satellite hack explaining that she would call Cindy with the actual timing of the cable hack later when she knew the time schedule she was working with.  She gave Cindy the passwords to Logan's satellite hacking software so he could run his hacks untraced.

          "Max.  You're Eyes Only?"  Jondy asked after watching her little sister create the hack for OC to run.

          "No.  Her man is."  OC said.  "Logan has been running those hacks for years.  Max has been helping."

          "Look.  No one, I repeat no one knows Logan's identity but us and three others.  No one finds out."  Max said.  "Krit and Syl did the DNA lab with us so I'm pretty sure they figured out or at least suspect but I have risked my life to protect Logan's secret identity.  No one finds out."  Max had a look in her eyes that told the others not to cross her on this.

          Alec was walking in the door as Max wrapped up her little diversion and she hastily explained what was going down.  Introductions were made and everyone headed out.  Max turned back to Cindy hugging her friend close to her with a soft whisper in her ear.

          "We'll be back."

          "Just bring our boy home."

          "I promise."  Max said and headed to the elevator with Jondy, Zane and Alec.

          The phone rang in Zane's pocket.  He answered as Alec and Max pushed their rides out to where Jondy and Zane had stashed theirs in an alley not far from Fogle Towers.  "Yeah."  He said.  "I see... I understand... Sounds rough... We are on our way now.  Stay at the rendezvous and wait for our arrival."  Zane had become all military business now and Max looked at his tall lanky form as they walked to the alley to retrieve the rides.  She saw the German Shepard coming out of the alley and rubbing against his leg.  He reached down and roughly rubbed the dogs head as it jumped up into the makeshift seat on the bike.

          "We have to go back to the Tower.  I want to leave Charlie here to protect that friend of yours.  Just in case."  Zane said.

          "Original Cindy will be fine.  She's ex-military and Logan's penthouse is secure."

          "I will feel better if he protects the girl.  I'll be down in a minute."  Everyone waited while Zane ran Charlie upstairs with his extra seat returning a few minutes later with a big smile on his face.  "She said she knows what we are capable of because she has known you for so long, but that if anything happens to any of us, You especially Max, then she will personally kick Alec's ass."

          "I feel so welcome."  Alec said.

          Everybody laughed as the four headed south toward LA.

          They pulled up at the rendezvous four hours later.  Syl ran out and hugged Max as she introduced Alec to Syl.  Krit walked out and shook hands with Zane.  They headed into the small abandoned home where Zane had made a life for a time. 

          "What do we have?"

          "There are thirty-two in and around the warehouse.  Mostly men, only a few women.  There is a single sewer entrance and two small windows on the roof.  The building itself has a regular door on either side and main hangar doors at both ends.  All four doors are guarded by two armed men.  They all look military."

          "They are members of a terrorist group called Rio Brazilia."  Jondy said.  "They tried to capture me but I was expecting them.  Logan warned me."

          "Why did they try to capture you?"  Syl asked.

          "Genetic superiority."  Jondy said.  "They want to worship me as their goddess."  Zane rolled his eyes.  Max and Jondy laughed.

          "They want to harvest our genetic makeup and use our bodies for research.  I highly doubt they would have stopped with Jondy.  They would have extracted what they wanted and moved on to another target."  Max explained.

          "How do you know so much?"  Jondy asked.

          "Logan and I tangled with a South African group called the red series several months back.  After tonight I will make sure the score is in our favor."  Max said.  "Transgenics two, bad guys nothing."

          "Right."  Krit continued.  "The inside of this thing has been tricked out with a few rooms and one large cargo space.  They have set up a kind of maze with cargo containers and other large wooden and steel crates blocking off areas for weapon storage and explosives."

          "I found a drug lab inside as well.  I assume that's how they were funding their operation here."  Syl said.  "It was pretty bad inside.  I moved about undetected for twenty minutes without any trouble.  We liberated some weapons and ammo just in case and I rigged some charges on this remote to take out their main weapons store and the drug lab.  I wouldn't dare blow up the explosives though until we are clear.  These guys may be military but they don't seem too concerned with safety.  Syl continued.  She looked directly at Max.  "Max.  They have Logan inside..."

          "I know."

          "Why did they take him?  Does this have something to do with the DNA lab?"  Krit asked.

          "No."  Zane said.  "This is need to know info.  This information never leaves this room.  Logan Cale is being tortured for information he doesn't have.  They think he knows where Jondy is and they are going to kill him if and when he doesn't tell them."

          "Why are they after Jondy and why did they take Logan if he didn't know?"  Krit asked.

          "When you find out, let us know."  Alec said.

          "Rio Brazilia is after Jondy for the same reason the Reds were after me about a year ago.  They want to harvest her genetic makeup to breed a colony of perfect and indestructible warriors to do their evil work."

          "The Reds?"  Syl asked.

          "Long story.  I'll tell it to you when we are through here."

          "Sounds almost like a plan."

          "Speaking of plans."  Alec said.  "You saw Logan in there?"

          "Yes.  They were..."  Syl hesitated looking at Max.  Max nodded.  "They were torturing him.  Electrocuting him and beating him.  He didn't look good."

          "I watched them beat on him for twenty minutes.  I don't know how he can take it."  Krit added.

          "Some more need to know information for you guys.  Logan may not have our speed or strength, but after our trip to Japan a couple of months back, he has our regenerative and healing abilities."  Max said.

          "How?"  Zane asked.

          "Two years ago, I broke into his apartment to finance a PI trying to find you guys.  He already knew about us, what we were."  Max said.

          "How did he know about us?"  Zane asked.  "I assumed you told him about us."

          "Yet another long story.  Logan and I have a busy history and I will tell you all stories some day."  Max said.  She couldn't help thinking about Seth.  "Anyway, one thing led to another and he asked for my help protecting a client of his.  I refused and he took a bullet in the spine protecting a child.  I worked with him for some time until Lydecker got to close and almost recaptured me.  Something happened and I ended up transfusing him to keep him alive after he collapsed at home.  At first my blood started to rebuild his damaged tissue and everything seemed fine.  He was actually walking again but then his body started to reject my blood and he returned to the wheel chair."

          "A man with a blown out spine couldn't withstand what they were doing to Logan."  Syl said.

          "I know.  Logan found a Geneticist in Japan.  He underwent some procedures and got his legs back but Lydecker showed up and took him to his compound in Canada where some Manticore doctors went to work on him.  They manipulated his genetic code and good old Deck gave him nine months worth of Manticore pt as rehabilitation.  He's not one of us but he's kind of like us.  His body regenerates faster than ours does due to the nano-tech Deck introduced into his system to control the genetic manipulation the Manticore doctors forced on him."  Max explained what she knew.

          "What kind of genetic manipulation?"  Zane asked.

          "Only Deck and Logan and the doctors know for sure.  Logan never told me."

          "That would explain why he kept laughing at them as they beat on him and electrocuted him.  He's a hard man."  Krit said.

          "They kept demanding they tell him where 'she' is.  I assume that is Jondy then?"  Syl asked.

          "Yeah.  They want me."  Jondy said.  "Maybe we can use that against them.  I could be a decoy and lure some of them away after we get the guards."

          "No decoys."  Zane said.  He grew more and more impressed with Max and Logan's exploits as he heard them but now was not the time for tales of high adventure.  "Kill'em all.  Get Logan and blow the hanger.  This is an international terrorist cell and needs to be taken down.  You and Logan," Zane said looking at Max "...can run a hack and explain the strange goings on later to cover ourselves but I don't see a reason why any of them need to be alive when we get Maxie's boy out of there.  Max.  Call Cindy and have her run that hack in twenty minutes then you and Alec go through the roof.  Krit and Jondy take out the guards.  Syl set your charges and dump the building on my call.  I am going through the sewer and come up inside and try to get to Logan.  I should be able to get inside and make sure they don't off him when they realize they are being hit.  Syl.  Whether I'm out or not, blow the charges you set and in the ensuing chaos, the five of you take them out.  All of them.  It sounds easy so let's make it work that way.  Any questions?"

          No one spoke.  They all nodded and headed out the door.  Zane ran off into the night as if he had some inside information.  Max was on the phone with Cindy as they headed toward the facility about a mile away.


	5. Part Five

          The screen not to far from Logan crackled and popped and a weird picture of Eyes Only came up on screen only it wasn't Eyes Only.  The Eyes phased between a man and a woman's and Logan looked up to recognize the woman's eyes instantly.  They belonged to Max.  The voice wasn't just his either.  It was hers as well talking right with his.  The chorused voices spoke the words as one while the phasing eyes matched the scrolling background.

          "This is a streaming video bulletin.  This satellite hack will be the last thing the terrorists hear before they die..." several men and a few women had gathered around the television sets as the hack played out.  "It cannot be traced.  It cannot be stopped and it is the only free voice left in this broken country."  A picture of the hanger warehouse appeared over the phasing eyes of Max and Logan.  "By now, your guards are dead and we are in the building.  You have been compromised by the very ones you seek.  You are at a disadvantage as you stand there mesmerized.  You tortured the wrong man.  You will be punished.  You will all be killed and your reign here in the broken states will end violently."  Logan could hear something behind him.  He dropped his head and noticed a large lanky man climbing out of the sewer.  "This has been a streaming freedom video bulletin from the Eyes Only Informant Net.  There will be no peace for any of you.  Out."

          An explosion and then another one tore up the north half of the hanger and Logan lifted his head to see someone that looked like Max drop down onto the crates not far away from where he was hanging.  The group of twelve or so men and women were standing stunned in front of the TV as other members of the terrorist cell ran for weapons.  Logan could see Alec in the rafters with a rifle sniping targets one by one.  The main torturer moved past Logan as he noticed Zane lifting himself out of the sewer and Logan pulled his legs up and wrapped them around the guy's neck pulling his head at an impossible angle until it snapped.  Immediately Logan felt the electricity burning through his body and he began to black out from the intensity of it.

          Zane pulled himself up and looked toward Logan.  He was using his legs to snap the neck of a guy that had spotted him and Zane could hear the man's neck snap just before Logan started to convulse.  No doubt from an electrical surge tripped when one of them saw Zane.  He had expected this.  He hated being right.

          Zane moved into the assembled group with precise movements.  Two fell with snapped necks under his big hands instantly.  Behind him he heard Logan sizzling under the electric.  In front of him, four attackers in his path, was the generator powering the electric.  Zane moved to the side dodging a blade attack and snapped a third neck.  He punched another soldier and threw the fifth into the cargo container to his right side.  The man crumpled to the floor as Zane sent a kick into the gut of the soldier he had just punched.  A bullet whizzed by him and took out a guy moving behind his position.  Another one dropped the guy in front of him and a third dropped the woman pointing a gun at Logan.  Zane turned on the remaining three.  They quickly fell dead at his feet.  He picked up a gun and shot up the generator leaving Logan's limp frame hanging from the chains holding him.  He was breathing but it had been close.

          Max jumped down from above and killed another soldier that had come around the corner behind Zane.  She moved through the maze of boxes and took out three more terrorists with little or no effort.  When she got to the drug lab three men opened fire on her position but she wasn't there when the bullets hit.  She moved on the two packing money and drugs into a suitcase and snapped both necks before moving on the first gun.  He fought back but she made short work of the soldier with a squatting spin kick and chop to the throat.  He was still gurgling as she reached the second gunman.  He died as Alec put a bullet into the third.  Max waved her thank you and moved back toward Zane.

          Alec yelled that he saw no more.  Syl yelled from somewhere.  The new charges had been set in the commotion.  Krit and Jondy had stayed outside to make sure no one came out of the building.

          Max held onto Logan's limp body still somewhat charged with electricity as Zane reached up and yanked the chains loose.

          "We can't go down the sewer.  Let's get out of here.  MOVE OUT PEOPLE!"  He yelled as Alec took a shot at a lone gunman showing his head for the first time.  Zane pulled and Max pushed Logan over her brother's shoulder as they both headed for the door.  Alec launched himself up through the roof where he had come from and slid down beside the door Max and Zane ran out of.

          "Clear!"  He shouted.

          "Syl.  Light it up!"  Zane ordered.

          "You got it."  She said as the group linked up near a hillside not far from ground zero.  The explosion lit the night sky and blew debris hundreds of feet in all directions.  Water spewed from damaged lines and a secondary explosion rocked the ground when the gas lines exploded.  

          "Logan?"  Max said.  She wasn't paying attention to the explosion.  She was holding Logan's head in her hands.  She was whispering to him but he was still unconscious.  Zane stood and the others followed as they headed back to the safe house.

          Fifteen minutes later, Max was sitting on a stool at the head of the table Zane and Krit had set Logan on.  Jondy and Krit then began tending to his wounds.

          "He's lost a lot of blood but I don't think it is really affecting him that much.  He seems to be more in need of having his bones healed where they have been broken."  Krit explained as he pressed his fingers gently into Logan's ribs.

          Zane walked up behind Max and put his huge hand on her shoulder.  "He's a hell of a man, Shrimp.  One of them saw me climbing out of that sewer pipe and charged but Logan used his legs to snap the guy's neck while he was being electrocuted no less.  He gave me the time I needed to get the rest with a little help from the sniper over there."  He nodded to Alec who smiled and waved.

          "I'm heading out."  Alec said.

          "Why?"  Syl asked.

          "I figured I'd go get my car and head back here so we can get Logan back.  It's going to be kind of hard with only four bikes even if he is healthy enough."

          "He can drive my baby.  I'll ride with him.  He's driven my ninja before."  Max said.

          "That's all well and good but let's face it, Max.  He might not be in complete shape for a few days.  His injuries are extensive.  We should make the ride as comfortable as possible for him."

          "Besides," Jondy added.  "We don't even know when he is going to wake up.  He's going to need a few days to recover from this trauma anyway."

          "He'll wake up.  I know he will."  Max said.  Zane squeezed her shoulder and nodded to Alec to leave.

          "I think I'll head into town and get some supplies.  Food and Stuff.  Jondy, Krit need anything specific?"  Syl asked.  Krit offered to go with her.  Zane made some excuse about doing some Recon to see how the sight was being mopped up and headed out the door.  Max looked at Jondy and both knew immediately the other was worried.

          "Tell me he'll be all right."  Max said.

          "I wish I could.  Tell me more about the genetic stuff Deck did to him.

          "I can't."  Max said.  "The truth is I haven't seen Logan for over a year."

          "Why?"  Jondy asked.  "Aren't you two…"

          "We are, I mean, we were but this ancient cult of inbred losers got in the way.  They were hunting Transgenics and then the whole Terminal City thing happened.  We… he… it was all my fault but in the end he took out the cults leaders with some knowledge he got from one of them.  I've been living in his place since Deck lost control of him.

          "Deck lost control of him?"  Jondy asked.

          "He escaped from Deck after he learned exactly what Deck did to him.  Like I said, only Logan, Deck and the doctors know what they did to him.  Logan.  You have to be okay."  Max said.  "Promise me you will fight this.  I did this for you so if you screw this up..."  Logan coughed and turned his head to the side.  Max just stroked his hair.

          A few minutes passed and Jondy monitored him closely.  The girls looked back and forth between Logan and each other.  "It seems like I am always standing over his body unharmed and he is always bearing the brunt of the pain and suffering."  Max said suddenly.  "I can take a lot more than he can in the pain department and yet he is always the one hurt protecting me."

          "It is the way men are.  They have to prove themselves over and over because they can never really believe in themselves.  Having a lover can give a man strength he didn't otherwise possess.  I've noticed it before in a certain guy myself.  Look at Zack and how he protected us all those year.  Even you Maxie although he never let you in the loop, he was still there watching out to make sure you were okay."

          "You don't understand.  Even in a wheel chair in a poorly defended position with numerous entrances he defended me and a child against four armed men who knew the terrain better than we did.  Another time he put himself in jeopardy and almost got tossed off of a roof FROM his wheelchair trying to save me from Lydecker and a radical group called May 22nd."

          "I've heard of them.  Didn't they all die at a hotel in Seattle?"

          "Logan and I did that.  Well mostly me because after he lost his wheels, he was stuck in a hotel room.  He protected me and he saved my life while still confined to a wheel chair."

          "But now he has the transgenic blood compound in his DNA.  He heals faster and regenerates quicker than he used to.  You know as well as I do we can do nothing about the pain."  Jondy said.

          "I know."  Max leaned down and kissed his forehead.  "I love him Jondy.  I will not lose..."  A tear fell on his cheek.  His head jerked.

          Logan felt moisture on his cheek.  It startled him and he realized he was in a dark place.  He could hear something muffled coming from around him somewhere and his head felt like it was in between two portals sifting energy between them where Max held him in her hands.

          The words became clear and things started to brighten slowly.  He turned his head and the energy rode with him.  'Was that my name?'  He thought.  'Did I hear my name?'

          "Logan."  Almost a whisper.

          "Logan?"  Louder now.  He tried to open his eyes.

          "Logan!  Can you hear me?"  That was Max.  It was Max.  It is her voice!

          He tried to pry his eyes open but only one would open this time.  He looked up with his right eye and saw Max.  Tears in her eyes rained down on his face, each drop charging him with her energy.  She was smiling.

          "Max."  He whispered through a dry cracked throat.

          "It's okay.  You're safe.  They are all dead.  We won."

          "Are you okay?  Did they get to Jondy?"

          "Everyone is safe.  You rest now."  She said.  "You need to rest."  She insisted.  "Jondy is here with me.  We got you covered.  You're safe.  Please rest now."

          He smiled weakly and closed his good eye.  He moaned some sort of affirmative and let himself fall back asleep.  He only felt a few more tears before he was asleep again.

          Time passed.  Jondy and Krit checked on Logan regularly.  Zane relaxed and tweaked the Ninjas for the girls to pass the time.  Syl cooked meals with Jondy and puttered around with Zane working on the bikes.  Alec returned with his convertible sometime during the first night.  Max never left Logan's side.  She didn't even sleep.  She just sat there and talked to him.

          She was returning from the bathroom when Logan opened his eyes to see the sewer guy standing over him.

          "Hey.  He's up."  The guy yelled. 

          "Hey, buddy.  Gave us quite a scare there at first."  He looked over his shoulder and leaned down.  "Thanks for taking out that guy.  Impressed the hell out of me.  I don't care what Zack says about you Maxie couldn't have found a better man.  I'm Zane, by the way."      

          Logan vaguely remembered grabbing some guy with his legs, but wasn't too sure about it.  "You'll have to tell me about it sometime."  He said trying to sit up.  Zane gently held him down.  Logan winced once he started to move and gave up under the pressure of the giant hand.  Jondy ran up and grabbed his wrist.

          "Lie still Logan.  You still have some broken bones.  You have only been here for two days."

          "Jondy?"  He asked.

          "Yeah.  Max is coming."  She said.

          "Are you okay?  They didn't get to you did they?"

  
          She looked at Zane and then at Logan.  "You knew?"

          "They showed me your picture.  I don't know where they found it."  Logan said.  "They kept asking me where you were not who you were.  They weren't asking the right questions."  He said before starting to cough.

          Max ran to the table and grabbed Logan's free hand.  She leaned down close to his face.  He pulled his hand from Jondy to touch her face.  He also saw Krit and Syl and Alec follow her in from the other room.  Alec tapped Syl on the shoulder and counted down.

          "Stop worrying about me.  I'm fine.  You were the one tortured for information you didn't have."

          "Uh, Maxie."  Zane started.  "This guy is tougher than I thought.  He actually had the information.  Jondy.  You still have that envelope on you?  That package from Seattle?"

          "In my bike pouch, why?"  Jondy asked.

          "You knew where she was and you didn't tell them."  Max said to Logan.  Krit whistled.  Zane laughed.

          "You sent me that envelope.  How? Why?"

  
          "Ever since Zack got captured, I've been tracking all of you.  I've been using my resources to keep the Colonel away from you.  I've also been working on taking down the familiars when I can find them.  Zack used to look out for all of you.  We lost him at the DNA lab and I felt almost responsible." Logan explained.

          "Logan, you weren't responsible for that.  Deck was in command."  Syl said.  Deck screwed that up."

          "Maybe, but I was so caught up in finding Rio Brazilia that I didn't pay attention to them when they tried to intercept the package at Jam Pony.  I didn't know they were watching me until they went there and I didn't see them coming.  It was already too late."

          "Nobody's perfect."  Jondy Said.  "Not even us." 

          Everyone laughed.  Logan grunted.  Max looked worried.

          "Why didn't you ever tell me it hurts this much?"  He asked her.  Everyone laughed again.

          The next day Zane and Krit walked down from the second floor to find Logan sitting on the couch.  Max was curled up against his chest talking quietly.  Logan nodded and Zane smiled.  Krit waved and headed into the kitchen.  When Logan joined him in the kitchen Krit knew they rest would be leaving soon.  Jondy came up to him and directed him back to the living room where she checked him over.

          Krit and Syl waved from the porch as Logan and Alec pulled out of the lot following Max, Jondy and Zane to Seattle.  Logan seemed fine when they got to Fogle Towers but when he tried to walk to the elevator himself, Max and Jondy propped him up on their shoulders insisting on helping him into his apartment.

          "You were hurt pretty bad Logan.  You have nothing to prove.  Let them help."  Zane said.

          "You don't know Logan."  Max said.  "He is as stubborn as they come sometimes and has always had this need to do things himself whether he can or not."

          "I am not stubborn; just push myself too hard sometimes.  Sometimes it is for Max but mostly it is for me."

          Cindy had been expecting them when they arrived and she had the door to Logan's apartment opened when the elevator door opened.  She took bags from Max and Jondy as they entered making it easier for them to situate Logan on the couch.

          "Can I get anyone anything?"  Cindy asked.  Everyone asked for some liquid and said thanks.  Zane followed to help.  Max sat down on the arm of the couch beside Logan and Jondy sat at the other end watching the two.

          "I like what you've done with the place."  Logan smiled as Max joined him on the couch.

          "You two are meant to be together."  Jondy remarked.

          "What do you mean?"  Max asked.

          "I have never seen a couple that compliments each other more.  Both as stubborn as mules.  You fit into each other without pause.  You both have enormous burdens and tremendous secrets to protect and you are both stubborn.  Did I mention the stubborn part?"  Jondy asked smiling.

          "I have a question.  Who bathed me while I was unconscious?"  Jondy cleared her throat and stood up.

          "I should see if they need any help in the kitchen."  She said as she ran out of the room laughing.

          "Can I take her reaction to mean that you did?"  Logan asked.

          "You were a mess, all dirty and bloody and you smelled horrible.  I just did what any good nurse would do.  I gave you a thorough sponge bath both nights while everyone else was asleep or out and talked to you.  You know, to make you comfortable."  Max said.

          "Are you blushing?"  Logan asked.

          "I am not."

          "Yes. You are, Boo."  Cindy said as everyone reentered the room.  "I have never seen your face so red before."  Logan laughed and Cindy joined him and soon everyone in the room was laughing.  Charlie nuzzled his nose all over Logan introducing himself.  Logan rubbed his head behind his ears and Charlie barked before disappearing to where he had come from.  It seems the dog had already claimed a spot in the apartment for himself.

          "So what's next?"  Zane asked.  "For the one and only Eyes I mean."

          Logan looked up at Max remembering the phasing background of his and her eyes and their chorused voices.  "I guess I will run a closing piece about Rio Brazilia then move on to more important local stories like drugs in the Mayors car or something."  Max smiled at the inside joke.  "It's a broken world and it's going to be broken for a while.  I think I can find something to do if someone is willing to continue helping me."  Logan said as he reached up and gently slid his hand down Max's cheek and cupped her chin with his fingers.  I'll have to secure the rights to Eyes Only's new look, though.  I wonder if the developer is willing to share her code with me."  Logan said.

          "I'll help."  Jondy said.

          "You both can count on me.  I've got a place in Denver now and I recently got in touch with Kai in St. Louis.  Didn't you say you knew where the other Rogues were?"  Zane asked.  Logan nodded.  

          "With Alec and the other Children of Manticore that are willing to help fixing a broken world doesn't seem like such a heavy task anymore."  Max said.  "He knows I'm in and with all the Rogues that are left we can make a lot of problems go away real fast."  She said with a look to Logan.  "Does this mean that we are okay?"  She asked.  Logan knew what she was asking.

          "There are issues that we have to deal with Max.  Like what Deck did to me for instance."

          "And what I did to you."  Max said.  Logan touched her face and she stared into his eyes.

          "I don't care about that."  He said.  "You just saved my life and right now I just want to relax.  You mind if I stay here for a few days?"  He asked.

          "I owe you for saving mine four or five times."  She giggled.  "I expect you to stay in our home for a long time to come."

          "Speaking of Relaxing."  Jondy said.  "I need something to drink and I want to unwind a little.  Cindy.  Would you show me around the city tonight?  Zane.  Care to join us?  Max?"

          "I'd love to Suga."  Cindy said.  "Zane.  You coming?"

          "Sure.  I could use a drink or five and Charlie seems happy here."

          They all turned and looked at Max.  Logan looked at her and nodded that he didn't mind if she went with them.  She smiled.

          "I might catch up with you guys later."  She said.  "I think I am just going to hang here and relax with Logan for a while.  I'll walk you to the door though."  She stood up and showed the others to the door.  She walked back in the room stretching out on the couch and rested her head on Logan's leg.  "I might doze off."  She said looking up at him.  He smiled and stroked her hair.

          "That's fine with me, Angel.  I might do the same."

          "I'm glad you're home."  Max whispered.  She purred softly until they both fell asleep.

The end…

Okay everyone.  There's another one finished.  Some of you wanted more so this was for you guys that made it clear that Max and Logan needed to find each other again.  This is also for Waterbaby who seemed worried that someone else would continue this story on another board somewhere.  I hope she likes what I've done.

For those that read Hunt for the Eyes and noticed the Jondy parallel, this is not a part of my Season One Future History.  This is a stand alone story set some time after the events of season two.  I have about a dozen stories introducing Jondy into the mix with Max and Logan.  They all stem from a long two week period of DA withdrawal and an obsession with Jondy's character one summer.  I will upload them as I get them edited.

Hope you all enjoyed it.  As always, let me know what you think.

Mike

    The Wyldegod


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